“The Treasurer continues to waste taxpayer dollars by filing an unreasonable appeal … and has now delayed Chair Shannon O’Brien’s return to the CCC.”
The neverending story of Cannabis Control Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien’s battle with Massachusetts Treasurer Deb Goldberg just added another chapter. That despite news earlier this week that after several years of closed door and courtroom deliberations, a judge finally ruled that O’Brien, who was suspended in September 2023 and formally fired from the CCC in September 2024, “shall be reinstated to her position … effective immediately.” With much backpay!
Superior Court Judge Robert Gordon found that “O’Brien’s actions did not constitute ‘gross misconduct’ … and contrary to the Treasurer’s interpretation, removal under [state law] required a showing that O’Brien was unable to discharge the powers and duties of her office.” Goldberg, who presented a scattershot mosaic of anecdotes painting O’Brien as “boorish,” “abrasive,” and “ill-tempered,” among other things, disagrees; her lawyers from the state Attorney General’s Office even filed a notice of appeal with the court concurrent with this week’s decision. On Wednesday, they filed the actual appeal.
“I don’t think, under any circumstance, the kind of behavior Chair O’Brien demonstrated should be tolerated,” the treasurer said in a statement after the ruling came down. “I do not accept that harassment and bullying are just trivial issues in the workplace. Frankly, we think this judge got it wrong.”
O’Brien’s attorneys pushed back. They wrote in a statement on Thursday: “Despite Superior Court Judge Robert Gordon’s ruling that Shannon O’Brien should return immediately as Chair of the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) given the likelihood of Treasurer Goldberg not succeeding on appeal, the Treasurer continues to waste taxpayer dollars by filing an unreasonable appeal to the Massachusetts Appeals Court and has now delayed Chair O’Brien’s return to the CCC by obtaining a temporary stay for one week from a single justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court.”
The statement continued: “Chair O’Brien had reached out to CCC Executive Director [Travis Ahern] yesterday and had planned to return to her job on Friday to discuss CCC business and planned to Chair the September 11th CCC board meeting. Chair O’Brien looks forward to collaborating with her fellow Commissioners and continuing the progress made by [Mr. Ahern’s] leadership over the last several months.
“Unfortunately, due to Treasurer Goldberg’s continued meddling in CCC business, where her sole responsibility is to appoint the Chair of the CCC, that meeting is now postponed, with the Treasurer’s reckless actions jeopardizing the mission and progress of the CCC. Treasurer Goldberg would be wise to heed Judge Gordon’s decision, stop the smearing of Shannon O’Brien’s character and let her do the job Goldberg appointed her to in September of 2022.”
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the governor’s office swore in acting CCC Chair Bruce Stebbins for a second five-year term in the designated regulated industries seat. Last month, Gov. Maura Healey, along with Treasurer Goldberg and Attorney General Andrea Campbell, reappointed Stebbins, starting Sept. 1, to continue serving in that role “until a permanent chair is appointed.” With an appeal on the docket, it’s still unclear when that will be.
