Challenger asks mayor to resign

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - A man who will run against Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms in November told reporters Tuesday he is calling for Sessoms' resignation immediately due to conflicts of interest.

Richard Kowalewitch says his reasoning is that Sessoms has "an ongoing relationship with $65 million of taxpayers' money" invested in Certificates of Deposit at TowneBank, where Sessoms is President and CEO of Towne Financial Services.

Virginia Commonwealth's Attorney Harvey Bryant told WAVY.com in a statement that "nothing provided to this office by Mr. Kowalewitch indicates a conflict of interest by Mayor Sessoms. The City Treasurer is responsible for the deposits and investments in various institutions on behalf of the City of Virginia Beach."

Sessoms says there is no conflict.

"That's backed up by the City Attorney and the Commonwealth's Attorney," Sessoms told WAVY.com. "That's the law and I am certainly abiding by the law."

Kowalewitch says he is standing by his claim. He has asked the Commonwealth's Attorney and requested the State Attorney General involve the Virginia State Police in investigating the matter further.