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Treasurer Goldberg fires the head of state’s cannabis control board
The move comes as the commission is already under fire for a seemingly endless stream of controversies.
State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg fired Shannon O’Brien, the state’s top cannabis regulator, after suspending her a year earlier, following months of uncertainty at the agency.
In a statement, Goldberg said O’Brien “committed gross misconduct” and “demonstrated she is unable to discharge the powers and duties” of a member of the state’s five-person Cannabis Control Commission.
Goldberg did not state the exact reasons why she removed O’Brien. Her office declined to release a letter and report detailing her decision, saying it contained personal information.
In the statement, Goldberg said she fired O’Brien after carefully considering more than 20 hours of meetings held earlier this year and various documents, case law, and policies.
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“I do so with deep regret because she has a long history of public service, and when appointed, I anticipated she would lead the Commission capably and in an appropriate manner,” the treasurer said in a statement. “I expect my appointee’s actions to be reflective of the important mission of the CCC and performed in a manner that incorporates the standards of professionalism required in today’s work environment.”
Goldberg’s office says she plans to appoint a new acting chairperson for the CCC soon.
Previously:
After only a year in the role, O’Brien – a former state treasurer and the 2002 Democratic candidate for governor vs. Mitt Romney – was suspended with pay from her position in September 2023 after an investigator’s report concluded that O’Brien made “racially, ethnically, and culturally insensitive statements,” including “public statements that could reasonably be perceived as creating the impression that … diverse candidates were not qualified for the CCC role.”
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Max Stern, a lawyer from Todd & Weld who represents O’Brien, told the Boston Globe that the firing “whitewashes the unequivocal evidence that would lead any reasonable and fair fact-finder to conclude that there are no grounds for removal and would immediately reinstate her to steer the rudderless … CCC shipwreck.”
The CCC has not had a dedicated chairperson since O’Brien was suspended in September and continues to be without an executive director.
Earlier this year, Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro asked lawmakers to appoint a receiver to run the “rudderless” agency. However, the Legislature declined to move forward with his suggestion.
Rep. Daniel Donahue, the Worcester Democrat who chairs the Cannabis Policy Committee, told Boston 25 News that he will hold public hearings throughout the fall to identify the agency’s best path forward.
In July, Donahue said that the House “recognizes the need for clarity in structure and accountability at the Cannabis Control Commission” and “foresees a legislative path forward addressing the sources of concerns about the CCC’s administrative function.”
Max Stern, O’Brien’s lawyer, could not be reached in time for further comment by publication.
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