Guard, ex-party leader, fired Brown cries politics; county attorney cites accusations Thursday, July 16, 2009 By Justin Mason (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY COUNTY — Former Conservative Party Chairman Paul Brown was fired from his job as a corrections officer at the Schenectady County Jail Wednesday in a move he described as politics. County Attorney Chris Gardner said Brown was accused of cursing at a supervisor, being insubordinate, provoking an altercation with an officer and then later attempting to coerce witnesses to the incident by phone. He said the incident allegedly happened in mid-June, while the county Sheriff’s Department sergeant was working at the jail. “The investigation was conducted by the Sheriff’s Department and there’s ample evidence that Mr. Brown did these actions,” he said. But the 16-year-veteran said his termination didn’t result from that incident, which he described as being relatively commonplace in the “hostile environment” of the jail. Rather, he believes Gardner, the former chairman of the county Democrats, called for his termination because they didn’t agree politically. “I believe this is politically motivated,” he said. “I don’t see eye-to-eye with the county attorney.” He said the supervisor involved in the incident has also been a target of internal investigations. He vowed to take the matter through the grievance process with the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Benevolent Association so that the incident can be properly vetted. “I’m eager to get this to arbitration and get [the supervisor] on the stand as a witness because I’m sure he’ll be impeached,” he said. Gardner said the decision to terminate Brown came solely from acting Sheriff Gordon Pollard following an investigation. Contacted Wednesday, Pollard declined to discuss the matter. “I’m not going to comment on any internal matters in the department,” he said. A call placed to Ennio Corsi, an attorney for Council 82, which represents the benevolent association, was not returned. Benevolent Association President Ronald Walsh also did not return a call for comment Wednesday. Brown served as chairman of the Schenectady County Conservative Party for six years until he chose not to run for re-election in 2006. The majority Democrats created a high-paying management job in the department and then named him to the position while then-incumbent Sheriff Harry Buffardi was seeking re-election in 2005. Buffardi was endorsed by the Conservatives. The management job Brown received, director of professional standards, included a pay increase. Brown’s job ultimately fell prey to budget cuts, and he returned to his sergeant position. He was thought to be in the running for the Republican endorsement for sheriff after Buffardi abruptly resigned in February. Instead, the Republicans chose retired city police detective Joe Lazzari, a member of the Independence Party. He’ll face Rotterdam Police Lt. Dominick Dagostino, the son of county Legislature Vice Chairwoman Judy Dagostino and a conservative, who was endorsed by the Democrats in February. Brown is at least the second officer from the department to be fired in the past four months. In March, corrections Officer Daniel DiBlasio was terminated for allegedly using a racial slur while riding in an elevator with another jail employee. Gardner said the department offered to suspend Brown for two months without pay, reduce his rank and place him on probation for two years. He said Brown countered this offer by agreeing to accept a 30-day suspension.............>>>>....................>>>>.............http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jul/16/0716_brownfired/
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PuddyCat
July 16, 2009, 9:21am
Guest User
As they say in France my dear friend Felipe "Good riddance to bad Garbage" Whose next???
County Attorney Chris Gardner said Brown was accused of cursing at a supervisor, being insubordinate, provoking an altercation with an officer and then later attempting to coerce witnesses to the incident by phone
Is coercing a witness common practice? If not...than wouldn't it be against the law? Would there be a law suit brought against Brown? Gage? Captain america? Anyone?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
[/b] Is coercing a witness common practice? If not...than wouldn't it be against the law? Would there be a law suit brought against Brown? Gage? Captain america? Anyone?
[/b] Is coercing a witness common practice? If not...than wouldn't it be against the law? Would there be a law suit brought against Brown? Gage? Captain america? Anyone?
he is cring politics all over madone! give me a break they dont use politics to decide who has a job or not over there. Here in the town this here is what Stevie ego does and that is why the fbi is watching.
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Can't wait the hear the reaction from Sal and the "boys in blue". Is Sal still out pounding the pavement seeking signatures (in vain) in the rain?
