Former Public Employee Enforcement Cases (G.L. c. 268A, §§ 5, 12, 18)

State Ethics Commission decisions, disposition agreements, and public education letters related to former public employees

1. Brooks, Edward Docket No. 149
   The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former Boston Water and Sewer Commission Collection Clerk Edward Brooks admitted to violating section 18 of the conflict of interest law and paid a $500 civil penalty for being paid privately to work on behalf of a private entity in connection with BWSC delinquent accounts in which Brooks participated while a BWSC employee.

2. Coelho, Paul Docket No. 697
   The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former Norfolk Building Commissioner Paul Coelho admitted to violating sections 18 and 19 of the conflict of interest law and paid a $3,000 civil penalty by, as the Building Commissioner, participating in building department matters affecting a company after accepting employment with the company, and by, as the former Building Commissioner, representing the company before the building department in matters in which he had participated while he was the Building Commissioner.

3. Crossen, Ralph Docket No. 668
   The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former Barnstable Building Commissioner Ralph Crossen admitted to violating section 18 of the conflict of interest law, paid a $1,000 civil penalty and a $100 forfeiture for representing a local business in connection with a site plan review application that Crossen previously reviewed while Building Commissioner.

4. Crossman, David Docket No. 442
   The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former Hudson Conservation Commission Chairman David Crossman admitted to violating sections 17, 18, 19 and 23 of the conflict of interest law and paid a $2,000 civil penalty for participating in a ConCom enforcement order, then representing the applicant in connection with that enforcement order, and by being paid by other clients to work on matters in which he  participated while the ConCom Chair, and, after leaving the ConCom, being paid by clients to work on matters in which he participated while he was the ConCom Chair. 

5. Egan, Robert Docket No. 352
   The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former Natick Zoning Board of Appeals member Robert Egan admitted to violating sections 17 and 18 of the conflict of interest law and paid a $1,000 civil penalty for representing a private client before the ZBA and being paid by the private client to work on an application, both while a ZBA member and after leaving the ZBA.

6. Foley, Jr., Cornelius J. Docket No. 248
   The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which Cornelius Foley, Jr., a former House of Representatives staffer assigned to the Health Care Committee, violated section 5 of the conflict of interest law and paid a $500 civil penalty by, within one year of leaving the House of Representatives, acting as a 'legislative agent' (lobbyist) on behalf of his new employer before the House of Representatives.

7. Foster, Badi G. Docket No. 134
   The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which Badi Foster, a former member of a Department of Education Ad Hoc committee that made program funding recommendations to the DOE for programs for disadvantaged students, admitted to violating section 5 of the conflict of interest law and paid a $250 civil penalty and a $1,800 civil forfeiture by, after his term on the Ad Hoc committee expired, contracting with a program funding recipient to review the effectiveness of the program that he voted to approve while a committee member. 

8. Howell, William Docket No. 395
   The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former Assistant Attorney General William Howell, Chief of the Industrial Accident Division, admitted to violating section 5 of the conflict of interest law and paid a $1,000 civil penalty by, after leaving state employment, representing a private law client before the Industrial Accident Board in connection with an injury claim that was under his official responsibility while he was the Division Chief.

9. Johnson, Walter Public Education Letter 87-4
   The Commission issued a Public Enforcement Letter to former Stoughton Selectman Walter Johnson to resolve allegations that Johnson violated sections 17 and 18 of the conflict of interest law by representing his private employer before town boards in connection with a joint well project that Johnson participated in while a Selectman.  

10. Poley, Philip Docket No. 13-0007
    The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former MassHealth Chief Operating Officer Philip Poley admitted to violating sections 5, 6 and 23 of the conflict of interest law and paid a $25,000 civil penalty for negotiating employment with a company while working on a MassHealth/UMass project on which he was soliciting the company's involvement, for not disclosing his activities, and for being paid to work on the project once he began employment with the company.

11. Rostkowski, Michael Docket No. 06-0009
    The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Waste Management Analyst Michael Rostkowski admitted to violating section 5 of the conflict of interest law and paid a $10,000 civil penalty for being paid by his private employer to work in connection with a landfill project in which he participated while he was a state employee.

12. Scheetz, Brian Docket No. 20-0002
    The Commission issued a Public Education Letter to former Office of the State Auditor (OSA) employee Brian Scheetz to resolve allegations that he violated the conflict of interest law by representing a private company that marketed software to state agencies in response to the findings of an audit on which he had worked. 

13. Wharton, Thomas W. Docket No. 236
    The Commission issued a Decision and Order finding that Thomas Wharton, the former President of the Community Development Finance Corporation (CDFC), a state agency, violated section 5 of the conflict of interest law  and order Wharton to pay a $1,000 civil penalty by, after approving funding for a private company and resigning from the CDFC, being paid by the company for consulting services in connecting with the funding it received.

14. Zerendow, Donald P. Docket No. 357
    The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former Assistant Attorney General Donald Zerendow, Chief of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, admitted to violating section 5 of the conflict of interest law  and paid a $1,000 civil penalty by representing a private law client before the MFCU in connection with a criminal investigation that was within his official responsibilities while he was the MFCU Division Chief.