Wednesday, November 15, 2017

DOC commish made personal trips on city time

From the Daily News:

Correction Commissioner Cynthia Brann and eight top staffers have reached settlements in the wake of a damning probe that found they used city cars for personal travel.

The city Conflicts of Interest Board revealed the agreements six months after former commissioner Joseph Ponte resigned over his role in the scandal.

Brann paid a $6,000 fine after she was found to have used her city car to make 13 trips to shopping malls and three to Kennedy Airport at a time when she was a deputy commissioner.

"At the time, I erroneously believed that I was allowed to use my DOC (Department of Correction) take-home vehicle for all personal travel in case a DOC emergency required my immediate response and travel to a DOC facility,” she said, according to a disposition released Tuesday.

Brann ran afoul of the Conflicts of Interest Board again when she enlisted a subordinate to help her pay the fine.

The Queens-based Brann complained to an underling that it was difficult for her to obtain a certified check or money order because she didn’t have a New York bank account.

The pair came up with a way around the problem — she would write him a personal check for the amount of the fine, and he would obtain a cashier’s check drawn from his personal account.

But Brann later acknowledged that such an agreement violated a conflicts of interest law prohibiting public servants from using their positions to obtain a personal favor from a subordinate.

9 comments:

JQ LLC said...

She didn't know she wasn't suppose to use a city car and didn't have a checking account? This broad takes stupid to a whole new level.

It's like if a cop used a NYPD cruiser for personal use or a smokeeater did his or her weekend shopping with a fire engine.

Actually, the FDNY does use a fire engine to do food shopping.

Anonymous said...

At the time, I erroneously believed that I was allowed to use my DOC (Department of Correction) take-home vehicle for all personal travel in case a DOC emergency required my immediate response and travel to a DOC facility

Really? So there are no policy, procedure manuals, training at this job?
In the corporate world she would have been fired!

Anonymous said...

Is this different from the Mayor's daily travels from Gracie Mansion to his gym in B'klyn?

Gary W said...

4 more years!!!!
4 more years!!!!

Anonymous said...

One of the downsides to machine politics - the people involved are not that smart - loyalty has nothing to do with intelligence or job qualifications - which goes a lot when you see these people talk and you get the impression of a sub 100 IQ almost every time.

Just think how they senselessly waste our taxes,

Anonymous said...

You should see what working at City Hall. One is dumber than the next.

Anonymous said...

She knew the rules when she was given the keys. You also have to fill,out a form for the I R S.

Anonymous said...

Jail her! You want an anti corruption deterrent? Start throwing out some stiff verdicts! Triple the fines etc. of any public servant. They are supposed to be setting the example. And as for crooked cops ....throw the book at 'em!

Anonymous said...

surprise surprise she is from queens