Bye Bye Biben

Today should be Ellen Biben's last JJOKE meeting, unless of course the powers that be have changed their mind and decided the best punishment for Ellen is making her stay as the head of JJOKE. She might have to stay since the smart money is telling me that the ads in the Times Union and Monster.com have not resulted in the quality of applicants the commission was hoping for. Surprising huh?

And without a new Executive Director everyone will be putting their 2 cents in on who should be appointed the acting ED.

The word on the street is the second floor wants Latitzia Tagliafiero (they think with that many vowels in her name she would be a winner) or at least thats the story Milgram is spinning. But the commissioners are not going to be spoon fed this time and are saying no.

Biben wants Monica Stamm, if for no other reason than she owes her after forcing Monica to leave the IG's office when she stood a good chance of becoming the acting IG when Ellen left. But the politically astute commissioners (and you can count them on one hand) realize that Monica is merely Biben light and doesn't solve any problems just highlights them.

Rumor is Uncle Vinny, after hiring his niece and then getting her promoted to head of education (maybe the best JJOKE yet) wants Shari Calnero to get the promotion. Sorry Vinny you can fagetaboudit, not gonna happen, Shari has risen way past the peter principle.

Maybe they will realize they don't have to appoint an acting Executive Director, just wait and appoint a real one.

You could see the selection committee plotting after the 3 hour executive session ended (Horwitz, Bulgaro, Weissman and Uncle Vinny)   Normally you would think that group could do a good job of recruitment but it doesn't appear that they can agree on a candidate.

Now there is one candidate for the permanent post, but I'm not sure the new Chair can close the deal. If he does I'll have to keep my mouth shut for a bit because I'm the one that gave him and some others the name. Maybe if I really cared about this persons career I'd out her now because I'm sure they would never select anyone I recommended.

But back to Biben's last meeting.  This one set a record for speed  start to finish under 5 minutes.  Why do they bother?  All they did was have Biben provide quick updates about all the clarity she is providing the regulated community.  And congratulate Calnero on her role as the head of education.  BTW what happened to the last head of education?  she is still employed by JJOKE but no one has seen her do any work since she got hired.  Another dirty secret to file away with Bibens expense reimbursements from the first 4 months of her tenure.

After a 3 hour executive session with nothing meaningful to report all the JJOKERS paid homage to the wonderful job Biben has done.  Can someone please list for me her accomplishments?  She did as much at JJOKE as she did on that LIPA audit when she was IG.  Move along nothing to see here move along.

I'm sure they got Biben a nice cake probably a leftover from Hannaford for Memorial Day they are half price today   its all about cost cutting.  And then it was see you have a nice life lets guess which 2nd floor connected law firm in NYC she will be working for by July 1.

I'll just add her to my list of former ED and Chairs. I've retired more ethics staff and commissioners than social security.

Biben, Ginsberg, Schellaci, Teitelbaum, DiFiore, Cherkasky, Feerick and too many staff members to remember.

Steve Cohen was once famously quoted that the Cuomo administration had 2 speeds get along and kill.  I have modified Steve's credo to a rule I try to live by get along or get even.  Just think of me when it comes to ethics agencies as a kinder gentler Steve Cohen.