Mayor of Anchorage, Alaska, Ethan Berkowitz has resigned after receiving death threats and allegations he posted nude photos on an underage website.
Berkowitz, the top elected Democrat in Alaska, admitted he had an "inappropriate messaging relationship" with US news anchor Maria Athens last week, days after he received death threats by her.
Athens, the anchor and reporter for Fox/ABC station in Anchorage, told him to kill himself and said she would feature his nude photos, apparently posted on an underage website, on the news.
In the voice message, she threatened to kill Berkowitz, who is Jewish, and his wife.
"You either turn yourself in, kill yourself or do what you need to do. I will personally kill you," the voicemail said.
"I can't believe I am such a good person and thought I loved you," the voicemail continued. "I don't even hate you. I will pray for your Zionist f**king ass. And I'm putting this on the news tonight. Bye. Have a great Friday!"
Berkowitz's office immediately denied allegations he posted nude photos on a website and issued a statement on Friday.
"The slanderous allegations from Your Alaska Link reporter Maria Athens are categorically false and appear to be the product of someone who is hostile and unwell," the statement said.
"We spoke with Ms Athens' employer, general manager Scott Centers, who emphatically disavowed his employee's comments."
Shortly after the mayor's statement was issued, Athens twice posted a nude photo she claims showed the mayor, which was shared across social media.
On Friday afternoon, she got into a physical fight with her station manager boss Scott Centers, who she was in a romantic relationship with, according to court documents. She was arrested later that day.
The mayor apologised on Monday for what he termed a "consensual, inappropriate messaging relationship" with the reporter.
"I apologise to the people of Anchorage for a major lapse in judgment I made several years ago when I had a consensual, inappropriate messaging relationship with reporter Maria Athens," he wrote.
"I'm embarrassed and ashamed for the hurt I've caused my family and our community. I take responsibility for my actions."
Athens admitted their relationship started in 2016 but declined to say whether it ever became sexual in nature, according to CBS News.