New York’s former surgeon general pleads innocence!

2009-05-19 04:16:44 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Employment Law, Justice News Flash)

Ex-New York surgeon general pleads not guilty in Albany County

Albany County Court hears not guilty plea by former New York Surgeon General.

New York, NY(JusticeNewsFlash.com)–The New York State Inspector General charged former New York Surgeon General, Antonia Novello, with employment law violations. Lawyers for the state assert Novello forced state employees to work overtime, while she was New York’s health commissioner, by requiring workers to do her personal chores, errands, and other incidentals not related to New York matters. Novello, represented by legal counsel, stood before the Albany County Court judge and plead guilty to all 20 count of the indictment prosecuting attorneys unsealed on Tuesday.

Prosecuting attorneys allege Novello used state workers to move and rearrange furniture at her apartment and chauffeur her on shopping sprees while she was New York’s Surgeon General from 1999 to 2006. Court documents reveal the for health official used 2,500 hours of state worker overtime which cost New York state taxpayers close to $48,000. Novello earned a salary of $256,000 annually while she was the New York State health commissioner.

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