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Former cannabis head sues state treasurer over the way she was forced out

universalhub.com · 22h · first reportShare

Shannon O'Brien today sued state Treasurer Deb Goldberg and the Cannabis Control Commission over the way O'Brien was forced out of her job as commission chair - charging Goldberg violated her civil rights, illegally used her power as a state official to get confidential, private information to smear her and completely ignored her rights under the state whistleblower act. In her suit , filed this afternoon in Suffolk Superior Court, O'Brien is seeking at least $3 million for lost wages, emotional distress, damage to her reputation and the costs of legal representation in her fight to get back her job, which she did, until the legislature reorganized the commission earlier this year and she lost her seat for good. However, that amount does not include the punitive damages she says she is owed and attorney's fees for bringing the suit. This case concerns what happened after Shannon O'Brien did the job she was appointed to do. Following her appointment as Chair, Ms. O'Brien confronted entr