NYS COELIG and NYS Inspector General Announce Settlement in Matter of Former Acting State Budget Director

The NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) and NYS Inspector General Lucy Lang (IG) today announced a settlement in the matter of former NYS Acting State Budget Director Sandra Beattie related to alleged violations of the Public Officers Law (POL). The settlement followed an investigation conducted by the IG’s office and further proceedings by COELIG’s Investigation and Enforcement Division.

COELIG settled three additional ethics cases, Executive Director Sanford N. Berland also announced today. The four settlements resulted in $10,900 total in penalties.

“We are grateful to the Office of the Inspector General for its collaboration in pursuing Ms. Beattie’s case, and in helping us to advance integrity, trust, and transparency in government,” COELIG Executive Director Berland said. “Ms. Beattie positioned a registered lobbyist, with whom she had a personal friendship and from whom she received personal favors, in a position to benefit greatly from contract work for the Office of Information Technology Services and its vendors. State ethics laws and regulations exist to ensure that this kind of behavior is brought to light and properly penalized. Ms. Beattie violated the duties of her office and the public trust. This settlement brings her to account for her conduct.” 

 “State officers must uphold the highest ethical standards and should provide an example of principled adherence to the state’s ethics laws,” Chair Seymour W. James, Jr. said. “COELIG’s Investigation and Enforcement staff, along with the IG, found that Ms. Beattie’s conduct did not meet the standards expected of public officers in New York State.  The Public Officers Law prohibits certain conduct to ensure the public can trust its government. Ms. Beattie’s conduct undermined that trust. The settlement announced today provides an appropriate conclusion to the allegations against her.”

“Good government both needs and breeds public trust,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “I am proud of the oversight work our dedicated team at the Offices of the Inspector General does every day to earn that trust, and I thank our colleagues at COELIG for their continued partnership in this shared goal.”

The investigation found that Ms. Beattie brought on her friend, who was a registered lobbyist, to serve as a voluntary consultant on a COVID-related project. The lobbyist then went on to become a paid subcontractor for a company that had been involved in that same project.  The state paid the Company and the registered lobbyist for this work. Ms. Beattie approved the invoice while the lobbyist was actively lobbying the DOB. In addition, Ms. Beattie stayed at the Florida residence of the registered lobbyist while he was engaged in lobbying the DOB. Ms. Beattie also was feted and appeared as a featured speaker at events held by the registered lobbyist for his clients and prospective clients.  

As part of the settlement agreement, Ms. Beattie admitted that her conduct violated POL § 74(3) and will pay a fine of $5,000. 

The settlement of a related matter, that of former NYS ITS Chief Technology Officer Rajiv Rao, was announced in June.

Additional Settlements 

Former Director of NYS Police Crime Laboratory System admits to violating POL by using state resources to further an outside business activity

A former Director of the New York State Police (NYSP) Crime Laboratory System in Albany admitted that his conduct violated POL § 74(3)(d) by using state resources to further an outside business activity, serving as a paid consultant to a company that dealt with criminal forensic applications. 

The Commission’s investigation found that the employee, who was granted approval by the NYSP to serve as a paid consultant for a for-profit company in 2020, used his state email and NYSP letterhead to further the outside activity even though the approval prohibited him from using state resources in his work as a consultant.

The employee wrote letters of support and endorsement for individuals from a variety of agencies and entities, including but not limited to the for-profit company and individuals associated with it, which included letters of support for their grant applications. He also forwarded an employment opportunity to other NYSP employees to assist the for-profit company, although the employee did engage in similar practices with individuals and companies with which he had no private affiliation. 

To settle the violations, the employee agreed to pay a $2,500 penalty.

Former CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU) Special Assistant for Labor Programs admits to violating POL by using her official position to secure unwarranted privileges for herself from a CUNY student

A now former CUNY SLU Special Assistant for Labor Programs in Manhattan admitted to violating POL § 74(3)(d), using her official position to secure unwarranted privileges for herself by utilizing a CUNY student for her own personal benefit.

The Commission’s investigation found that during the 2022 academic year, the employee allowed an SLU-student, who could not secure housing in New York City, to live with her in exchange for performing personal tasks and some of her official CUNY duties for her. 

For example, the employee had the student assist with her personal 2022 tax returns, clean a family member's apartment, perform household chores, assist with guests hosted through Airbnb, and assist with clerical work related to the employee’s divorce proceedings. Additionally, the student completed a sexual harassment training for the employee, called professors at other educational institutions for student recruitment, and performed data entry in relation to prospective students.

To settle the violations, the employee agreed to pay a $2,400 penalty.

Retired State Education Department Associate Accountant admits to performing backroom services in violation of POL post-employment restrictions 

An employee who retired in November 2022 from her position as an Associate Accountant for the New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) Rate Setting Unit in Albany admitted that she performed backroom services for compensation in relation to a matter before her former agency within two years of leaving state service in violation of POL § 73(8)(a).

The employee entered into a paid consulting agreement in March 2023, with a company she was assigned to during her time with NYSED. Between March and August 2023, the employee admits that she reached out to NYSED to request an approval letter and ask questions regarding the approval process for a new school site for the company. She also performed fiscal analyses to help the company stay within the proscribed methodology and tuition rate set by NYSED and amended a reporting error that negatively affected the company’s tuition rate.

To settle the violations, the employee agreed to pay a $1,000 penalty.