NY Times Reports that Ellen Biben Named JCOPE Executive Director

Citing “people with knowledge of the decision,” the New York Times is reporting that the JCOPE “secretly approved” Ellen Biben, the state’s Inspector General, as its new executive director at its last meeting on Tuesday.

The Times says that the appointment of Ms. Biben “raises question about the commission’s independence from the executive branch, and its commitment to transparency.”  the article also notes that the appointment was not unanimous, and it has “angered some legislative leaders.”

Assuming that the report of Ms. Biben’s appointment is accurate, this means that the JCOPE can now move forward with addressing its accumulated backlog, and reviewing and revising the guidance it provides to state employees and lobbyists/clients.