Press Release: Court Rules in Favor of Ousted Cannabis Control Chair, But Action Stalled by State Appeal
In a twist of events, a Suffolk Superior Court judge has ruled that Shannon O’Brien, the recently dismissed chair of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), was wrongfully removed from her position. However, due to a pending appeal filed by state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, O’Brien will not be reinstated immediately. O’Brien was appointed to the CCC in 2022 but was suspended in 2023 and subsequently terminated by Goldberg in September 2024, who alleged "gross misconduct" and bullying.
Judge Robert Gordon described Goldberg’s rationale for dismissal as a "house of cards" in his ruling. Although the judge instructed that O’Brien should return to her role along with back pay and benefits, the state’s appeal has put this decision on hold for at least a week. O’Brien’s legal team is expected to respond to the appeal shortly.
O’Brien, a former state treasurer and Democratic gubernatorial nominee, criticized the state’s appeal as an unjustifiable expenditure of taxpayer dollars. The controversy has also drawn attention to the state’s hefty legal fees, reportedly exceeding $970,000. The saga continues as stakeholders await further legal developments.
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