The top lawyer at the embattled New York City Board of Elections has retired amid a Department of Investigation probe of his conduct, The Post has learned.
Chief counsel Steven Richman submitted his retirement papers last month and left the agency effective Jan. 30, an agency official said.
Richman, employed by the BOE since 1999, took a leave of absence in September amid the DOI probe — a key period when the elections agency prepared for new early voting and expanded mail-ballot systems for the November presidential election as well as special elections amid the coronavirus pandemic, and a new ranked choice voting system being implemented this year.
He never returned.
Richman, a Brooklyn resident who sat next to executive director Michael Ryan at board meetings, oversaw all election-related legal issues and court cases..
A DOI spokesperson said, “The investigation is ongoing and DOI declines further comment.”
The DOI would not say whether or not the probe centered on alleged sexual harassment or other alleged misconduct involving a subordinate.
The BOE declined comment, other than to confirm that Richman retired. Richman declined comment.
Richman’s most recent filings with the Conflicts of Interest Board show the BOE’s longtime attorney has racked up a mountain of credit card debt.
He reported having six open credit cards — from Citi Bank, Capitol One, Barclay’s, Chase, HSBC and American Express — and owes between $5,000 and $50,000 on each one, putting him potentially six figures in the hole.
Richman was paid more than $189,000.
Richman has a Linkedin page that lets everyone know that he’s now a private practice lawyer. While he stresses his government experience, he omits that he worked at the elections agency for twenty years in a summary of his employment history.
“Experienced attorney with a demonstrated history of working at the highest levels of New York State and City government. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Government Operations, Legislative Affairs, Media Relations, Agency Management and Administration, and Legal Writing,” Richman’s page says.
“Strong legal professional. graduated from Brooklyn Law School and active in many professional organizations.”
