Susan Rosenthal’s lawsuit against RIOC now shapes up as March showdown

In a lawsuit filed on October 20th, last year, ousted RIOC president Susan Rosenthal contested her dismissal. Attacking Governor Cuomo, his henchmen and the board, she slammed them for negligence and implied racist motives.

By David Stone

Roosevelt Island News

UPDATE, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2021: Yesterday, both parties signed off on a two week adjournment. This changes nothing about the case, just provides a little extra time for responses.

Petitioner’s Proceeding pursuant to Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules, now returnable on February 19, 2021, shall be and hereby is adjourned to March 5, 2021.

New York State Supreme Court

Earlier this month, Susan Rosenthal’s RIOC lawsuit gathered form as the last two respondents registered their lawyers online. There are thirteen altogether, including the state, RIOC and its entire board.

Briefly, the former official slams RIOC’s board over neglecting its duties and Cuomo’s minion of showboating on Juneteenth. Embedded in that mix is an alleged “cabal” of established internal troublemakers she says RIOC’s tolerated for years.

This cabal, Rosenthal says, colluded, triggering her dismissal with a list of fatuous accusations the state used in justifying her dismissal.

Read the entire Susan Rosenthal RIOC lawsuit here…

But now, the ambush must be defended…

Probably the most offensive of the charges against Rosenthal accuses her of racism, but that’s a tough one. And hard to defend because, in reality, she’s been an outspoken BLM supporter and is matriarch of a biracial family.

It’s a head scratcher. What made them think they’d get away with that?

But the core of her complaint is more generic and damaging.

The board, she says, failed at fulfilling its responsibilities in hiring and firing executives, stepping aside when Albany barged in.

There is no public record of the board even meeting before Cuomo’s spokesperson did a Trump, marking Rosenthal’s firing by way of a press release. The ultra conservative New York Post was the only news source receiving it.

And it happened late in the day on Juneteenth, a date set aside for honoring the end of slavery.

What’s next for Susan Rosenthal’s RIOC lawsuit…?

In papers filed with the New York State Supreme Court, the RIOC team agreed to file its response by February 5th. And then, Rosenthal has until the 18th to reply.

The case is adjourned until February 19th.

We’ll be keeping an eye on it and update as new information becomes available.