Borgia Resigns as Board of Legislators’ Chair Shortly Before Vote
Board of Legislators Chair Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining) resigned her leadership position Friday afternoon, a half-hour before the full body appeared set to remove her from that post.
Borgia handed in her notice at 3:30 p.m. making the scheduled vote unnecessary. The term-limited legislator will continue to serve District 9 for the remainder of her term, which expires on Dec. 31.
Calls from the Democratic caucus for the end of Borgia’s tenure as chair swelled on Monday. Her board colleagues learned on Apr. 13 that it took her several months to take action against a male legislative staffer, Anand Singh, for allegedly seeking to meet with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl in New Jersey. Singh was fired by Borgia on Apr. 13.
The matter is being investigation by law enforcement, including the FBI.
Earlier this week, Borgia defiantly announced she would fight calls from her own party members to step down as chair and went to court to get a Temporary Restraining Order to prevent the board’s vote. Earlier in the week, Judge Robert J. Prisco granted the order, which resulted in a canceled Board of Legislators special meeting on Wednesday; however, the judge lifted the order a couple of hours before Friday’s scheduled vote.
Following the ruling, an embittered Borgia issued a statement announcing her resignation as chair without answering further questions. She said that the action to remove a chair sets a precedent that will “dangerously weaken this institution” because a simple majority of nine legislators could remove a chair if they disagree on one of myriad issues.
“I believe the events of the past days have been politically motivated and based in institutional misogyny that is all too pervasive in the brutal, reactive, and mean-spirited political world in which we all now live,” Borgia stated.
“However, the past days have also included an overwhelming amount of support, encouragement, love, and well wishes; some from surprising quarters. I cannot tell you how heartened I have been to receive it. Thank you to all of you.”
Some lawmakers declined to comment after Borgia’s resignation was announced.
But Legislator Erika Pierce (D-Katonah) said that while all the details of the situation involving the staffer have not yet surfaced, it was clear to her and most of the board that Borgia failed to adhere to the legislature’s standard human resources policy, which should have immediately placed the employee on leave when Borgia found out about the allegation.
“The decision lay with her and almost none of us were aware of this until after he was let go,” Pierce said.
Legislator Nancy Barr (D-Rye Brook) will now take over as acting chair until a new leader is voted for the remainder of the 2022-23 legislative term. That vote must take place within 60 days, Barr said.
Democrats hold a 15-2 advantage on the 17-seat Board of Legislators
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