Shannon O’Brien plans to appeal her firing as the chairwoman of the Cannabis Control Commission directly to the Supreme Judicial Court, her lawyer said Tuesday, and one of her former CCC colleagues will take over as acting chair in the meantime.

Treasurer Deborah Goldberg fired O’Brien on Monday, citing unspecified “gross misconduct.” On

Tuesday, she announced that she had chosen Commissioner Bruce Stebbins to serve as acting chair of the CCC until a more permanent chairperson can be hired. The treasurer said the former gaming regulator, business development official, city councilor and White House aide “will ensure stability during this period and will continue to positively impact the important mission of the CCC.”

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Treasurer Deborah Goldberg fired Cannabis Control Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien on Monday, her office confirmed, a removal that seems likely to kick the yearlong drama back into the courts.

In a statement, Goldberg said she decided to fire O’Brien are carefully considering more than 20 hours of meetings held earlier this year as well as various documents, case law and policies. Goldberg said she fired O’Brien because she “committed gross misconduct and demonstrated she is unable to discharge the powers and duties of a CCC commissioner.”

“I do so with deep regret because she has a long history of public service, and when appointed I anticipated she would lead the Commission capably and in an appropriate manner,” the treasurer said. “I expect my appointee’s actions to be reflective of the important mission of the CCC and performed in a manner that incorporates the standards of professionalism required in today’s work environment.”

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The Cannabis Control Commission is broken by the law that established it and needs to be placed under the authority of a receiver by the end of July, the Bay State’s Inspector General told legislative leaders in a letter.

Pointing to numerous problems surrounding the ousted commission chair and challenges with the laws structuring the agency, Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro urged House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka to act before the end of this legislative session, after determining that “the agency’s statute lacks a clear leadership hierarchy with defined duties and responsibilities.”

“I believe the CCC needs immediate clear direction with an accountable hierarchy. In its present state, the CCC lacks such direction. I urge the Legislature to take short-term action by authorizing the appointment of a receiver before the completion of the current formal legislative session on July 31, and long-term action by revisiting the commission structure,” Shapiro wrote.

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