It was too good to be true that he simply turned down the jon.
No, according to local independent journalist Grant Smith Ellis this is what happened.
David Lakeman, the CCC’s new pick for Executive Director, did not actually turn down the position (as voted on by agency Commissioners last month). Instead, sources familiar with the matter tell me, the agency itself failed to reach an agreement on the terms of Lakeman’s employment. As a result, no offer was ever provided or accepted, and no start date was provided.
If Lakeman wanted to take this job, and someone (or some group) within the CCC sabotaged the hiring process, this is a break-glass moment
Lakeman’s non-arrival is huge loss to staff members in the agency who saw Lakeman (along with acting-ED Debbie Hilton-Creek) as one of their only hopes going forward to protect their safety amid serious ongoing concerns about retaliation and abuse by CCC management (and some Commissioners).
and this too if you have the energy to read it
Earlier this week, the CCC held a discussion and vote related to former Chair Shannon O’Brien’s open meeting law complaint against the agency for refusing to release a full video record of a secret meeting –that O’Brien was held in Executive Session in violation of law– on April 24th of 2023 related to the conduct of former Commission Executive Director Shawn Collins.
Read O’Brien’s request here – https://lnkd.in/eQsdKNW7
The CCC, in turn, was forced to hold a shocking public meeting today wherein that complaint from O’Brien was addressed. The CCC legal counsel advised Commissioners to declare the complaint “not filed in a timely” manner. It is unclear if the full, unredacted, video recording will be provided to O’Brien (or to the public). O’Brien has the ability to appeal the CCC’s decision to hide parts of the video to the Secretary of State and, in turn, to Superior Court.
Commissioner Kimberly Roy raised questions about the CCC counsel’s advice regarding the timely nature of the request, as the release/production of minutes/video from the April, 25th, 2023 meeting were still being produced when O’Brien filed her Open Meeting complaint. Roy suggested that the deadline to file such a complaint did not attach until O’Brien was made aware the records in question were not being fully released (which did not happen until the fall of 2024).
Roy, when the 3-1 vote to deny O’Brien’s complaint took place, said, “Obviously, we are a public agency and the public’s need to know is pertinent here and it must be considered and in light of that I am not comfortable with the selected redactions [of the video] and, on principle, I will vote no.”
Also this week, the major battle between O’Brien and @MassTreasury Deb Goldberg was back in court, and things do not look good for Madam Treasurer.
Goldberg is attempting to hide documents related to O’Brien’s suspension (and eventual dismissal) that may show a plot by Nurys Camargo, Shawn Collins, Cedric Sinclair and other CCC personnel to “take out” O’Brien via smears.
