Two former cops have been implicated
SYRACUSE -- A former deputy Syracuse Police Chief and a city police detective are implicated in a scandal within the State Liquor Authority. The situation involving Authority Chairman Dan Boyle and Daniel Malay has been brought to the attention of Governor Paterson.
At an emergency meeting of the Liquor Authority Board, two commissioners minus Chairman Boyle accepted the apparent forced resignation of Daniel Malay. Malay is a former Syracuse Police detective who became the head of the Authority's Enforcement Division. He is accused of improperly collecting more than $28,000 in travel expenses. Now that he's resigned, the Liquor Authority wants the money back. At the meeting, which was webcast live, Commissioner Noreen Healey said: "The taxpayers should be reimbursed. I make a motion to recover the money." The Commissioners directed their counsel to "immediately contact the Civil Recovery Division of the Attorney General's Office and the Comptroller's Office." <http://abc-state-ny.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=52>
The dispute centers around a finding by the State Inspector General last year, that Malay was improperly reimbursed for $28,931 in travel expenses over a two year period. Though Malay lives in Jamesville and though he often worked out of the Liquor Authority Office in Syracuse, Malay's home office is in Albany. State regulations prohibit an employee from receiving travel expenses to and from his home office.
When contacted at his home, Malay refused to comment.
The controversy also involves Authority Chairman Boyle. Boyle is a former Deputy Syracuse Police Chief who was appointed by then Governor Pataki to head the Liquor Authority. At Friday's meeting, which Boyle did not attend, his fellow commissioners made it clear that Boyle bears responsibility for hiring Dan Malay and another Authority official, former State Police Major Peter Person who also resigned under pressure last week. Commissioner Healey wanted to place on the record that, "Their activities occurred under his leadership. I just want to emphasize that."
There's more...a recent audit by the State Comptroller, obtained by Action News, found Chairman Dan Boyle and Commissioner Noreen Healey did not properly account for their travel expenses. In Boyle's case, the comptroller found $967 in excessive hotel charges above and beyond the $150 per diem.
A spokesman for Governor Paterson confirms the Governor is aware of the controversy. When asked if the Governor intends to remove Boyle from office, Morgan Hook replied, "his term has already expired, he's chairman until further notice." Asked what it would take to remove Boyle, Hook told Action News. "It would take the appointment of a new chairman."
Boyle has not returned our calls for comment.
