Suny Research Prez Fires Back, Demands Probe

After being slapped by the Public Integrity Commission with charges that he awarded a “no-show” job to ex-Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno’s oldest daughter, SUNY Research Foundation President John O’Connor is firing back by filing a complaint of his own.

In a statement released through his lawyer, O’Connor knocks the commission for “its brief, sad history” and filed a complaint with the state Inspector General Ellen Biben, charging that former Executive Director Herbert Teitlebaum with harassing him.

From the statement:

“As this case clearly demonstrates, the commission has lost sight of its mission, and for the second time in its brief history has eviscerated its reputation by leaking information to the press and failing to safeguard the rights of those under its jurisdiction.”

O’Connor’s lawyer Karl Sleight wrote in a letter to Biben that Teitelbaum, who left office after he was investigated by IG’s office during the Troopergate affair, that the SUNY president had been “victimized on multiple occasions” by the commission.

The PIC alleges O’Connor broke the public officer’s law when he gave a job to Susan Bruno, which an investigation revealed was a no-show job at the foundation. If found guilty, O’Connor faces a $10,000 fine.

JJO Media Package 5.13.11 (HBROC-1590393 v1)

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This entry was posted by Nick Reisman on May 13, 2011 at 5:10 pm, and is filed under Ethics. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Nick from niskayuna

Its about time someone did something about this.
She has been on the dole for a long time for sure.
Next week Joe heads back to the Courthouse…
carpet bagger

a dozen or so pages of garbage to try to hide the fact that she had a no show job.
cp retiree

Sounds like O’Connor got some sage advice from Susan’s Daddy:
“Put them on the defensive.”
cp retiree

I wonder if Joe will pull an “Alan Hevesi”: Cop a plea and do a few months in a country club prison; and in return, Susie and her free money won’t be touched.

…nah, what was I thinking? He thinks too much of himself.
Anonymous

Next week Joe gets released.
Anonymous

maybe if they had a case against him that they hadn’t rejected during his first, unconstitutional, trial, he’d make a deal, but not now.
Anonymous

How is that any different than, say, all the union unit heads who get paid by the state for doing union work? Or all the workers who show up every day and don’t do anything, while the person next to them never stops working?
Buster

I assume that O’Connor’s options were (1) put Susan Bruno on the payroll or (2) lose his job. The CPI is is shooting the messenger, in my opinion.

It’s Ms. Bruno, Joe Bruno and whoever was governor at the time that should be investigated…and fined. Ms. Bruno should be indicted for theft of services.
Buster

How is that any different than…all the workers who show up
every day and don’t do anything?

It’s different because she didn’t even bother to show up. There’s nothing subjective (and so debatable) about that. I don’t care how good your lawyer is, you can’t defend the indefensible.
Apletyt

Hi Nick,
You are just plain dumb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous

So if you show up, but don’t work that’s okay?
Buster

It’s not OK with me, PERSONALLY, but I’m not in charge.

My point is that this case would never have gone before the CPI, I suspect, if Ms. Bruno had come to work every day, closed her office door and read a book.

Sure, Ms. Bruno wasn’t qualified for the job, but neither are a LOT of appointees of EVERY governor, in my opinion.

This all sucks, but we both know that it’s true, unfortunately.
IronMike

Reminds me of an old biker t-shirt I saw decades ago: “Kill ‘em all; let G-d sort it out”

Suny Research Prez Fires Back, Demands Probe

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