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Spring Valley Mayor Alan Simon disbarred for bad behavior as a judge

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“Mayor Alan Simon has been disbarred as an attorney after 50 years for the ranting, threatening behavior that got him stripped of his robes as a judge.

A state Supreme Court Appellate Division released its decision on Wednesday disbarring Simon immediately. Simon had been admitted as an attorney on Dec. 18, 1968, according to the decision.

DECISION: Alan Simon disbarred

The court’s decision stated: “Ordered that the respondent, Alan Michael Simon, is disbarred, effective immediately, and his name is stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law.” [Read more…]

Spring Valley fails to provide public documents under FOIL, lacks transparency

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SV Mayor Alan Simon Photo: Journal News file

Mayor Alan Simon’s administration has failed to produce dozens of public documents under state law, creating a lack of transparency about salaries, meeting agendas, policy votes and how taxpayer money is spent.

During Simon’s first year in office in 2018, the village has missed deadlines or failed to provide The Journal News/lohud with agendas of government meetings, votes during those meetings, and minutes about who spoke during the sessions.

The Journal News/lohud made about a dozen requests for information, and follow-up reminders, with the village responding several times, but always in violation of the legal deadlines.

Simon and Village Clerk Diana Montgomery, who is the village’s public records officer, have not responded to requests for comment. Simon, a former judge, prosecutor and defense attorney, once worked with the state Freedom of Information Law as the Ramapo town attorney under two town supervisors. [Read more…]

Spring Valley Mayor Alan Simon curses out trustee, fires director during rant

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Spring Valley Trustee Sherry McGill (Photo: Journal News File)

Mayor Alan Simon cursed out Trustee Sherry McGill before a meeting on Wednesday, leading critics to say such bullying is what got Simon removed as a judge by the state courts.

Simon went off on McGill after she questioned his decision to arbitrarily dismiss and also curse at the village’s after-school program director during a discussion about the program, residents said, repeating what McGill told the public.

“The fact that he felt so comfortable telling her (McGill) to, ‘get the (bleep) out’ shows the lack of respect that he not only has for women but also women of color and such behavior will not be tolerated by this community,” said Hamadi Martin, a member of the grassroots activist group “We the People.” [Read more…]

Together Again

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Photos of Alan Simon and Anthony MalliaThe team has been reunited. When Alan Simon ran the Ramapo building department Anthony Mallia was his first assistant. Then Simon decided he was a law unto himself and insisted he did not have to follow the law as interpreted by Ramapo town attorney Michael Klein. That resulted in a rare split in the small clique that ran Ramapo and Simon was out. [Read more…]

Rockland probation: convicted felon Anthony Mallia can’t work for Spring Valley

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Anthony Mallia led away in handcuffs

Anthony Mallia led away in handcuffs arrested at his home
Photo: John Meore/The Journal News

“Anthony Mallia, convicted of felony charges as Ramapo building inspector, cannot work for Spring Valley because the work could involve building issues, the Rockland Probation Department said Friday.

Mallia works as Mayor Alan Simon’s assistant at a salary the mayor said “is in excess of $100,000” a year.

“The Rockland County Department of Probation has advised the probationer, Anthony Mallia, that he is not to take the employment with the Village of Spring Valley because it inappropriately involves building issues and that taking the employment would result in a violation of probation being filed,” the agency said in a statement released Friday by the County Executive’s Office to The Journal News/lohud.com. [Read more…]

Spring Valley Mayor Alan Simon dismisses fire inspector

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Fire Chief John Zajac at his desk

West Haverstraw Fire Chief John Zajac

“With the village Building Department and inspection program being monitored by New York state for ineffectiveness, Mayor Alan Simon has dismissed the village fire inspector just before his six-month probationary period was set to expire this month.

The village hired John Zajac, a longtime West Haverstraw fire chief, in July as a full-time fire inspector to succeed the retired Raymond Guarnuccio, a former Spring Valley fire chief. Zajac was paid about $47,000. [Read more…]

New York’s top court boots Alan Simon from Spring Valley, Ramapo bench

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Former Judge Alan Simon Photo: Journal News file

Former Judge Alan Simon Photo: Journal News file

Alan Simon, a former prosecutor and Ramapo town attorney, will lose more than $120,000 in salary and benefits

“New York’s top court Thursday removed Alan Simon as judge for Spring Valley and Ramapo based on charges of misconduct and improper behavior toward court personnel and lawyers.

The Court of Appeals decison upheld six misconduct charges brought by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct in an April decision and its recommendation that the top court remove Simon from the bench. [Read more…]

Ramapo judge to be paid during appeal

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Alan SimonJudicial commision kicked Justice Alan Simon off the bench for bullying, threatening staff, fellow judges and elected officials

Alan Simon will continue to be paid for his three judicial positions while he appeals the state Commission on Judicial Conduct’s decision to kick him off the bench, the state’s high court has ruled.

The Court of Appeals panel, led by Chief Justice Janet DiFiore, ruled Simon would be suspended with pay as justice for Spring Valley, Ramapo and Hillburn.

Read the complete Journal News story.

Why Simon was removed from the bench

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The 40-page decision released Wednesday by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct portrays Alan Simon as the archetypal “Boss from Hell.” The number of fellow workers who he charged with contempt, and, screaming, demanded their arrest and removal, included clerks, police officers, the police chief, another judge, and others. In fact, the routine, replete with bulging eyes and Anglo-Saxon epithets, almost reached the comic level of the Queen of Hearts’ “Off with their heads!” LoHud reporter Steve Lieberman has an overview of what got Simon yanked from the bench. Read Watchdog Decision: Judge Alan Simon booted for bullying, threats here.

Simon’s egg timer

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Egg timer justiceThere is so much more to Alan Simon’s questionable tenure as judge and head of Planning, Building and Zoning at Ramapo that we decided to reprint a story we ran on Mr. Simon five years ago in the middle of his campaign for Ramapo Town Justice. It includes some insight into his judicial philosophy and his relationship with the builders and  Supervisor St. Lawrence.  [Read more…]