Shannon O’Brien, the Chair of the Cannabis Control Commission in Massachusetts, was recently suspended from her position by State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg. The suspension occurred on Thursday, with no specific details provided regarding its duration. The spokesperson refrained from sharing more information, citing the sensitive nature of the situation as a “personnel matter.”
O’Brien, a former treasurer and gubernatorial candidate, took up the role of overseeing the CCC a little over a year ago. Prior to her return to government, she had been involved in the cannabis industry and was a 50% co-owner of Greenfield Greenery, a proposed outdoor marijuana-growing operation. Shortly after her appointment to head the CCC, there was a delay in granting a license application from Greenfield Greenery due to concerns about potential violations of disclosure regulations by O’Brien. However, she was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing, and Greenfield Greenery was granted the license, as reported by The Boston Globe.
In the past, O’Brien had faced controversies, including an incident during a meeting where she mentioned Executive Director Shawn Collins planning to step down by year-end, surprising her fellow commissioners. She had characterized the commission as being “in crisis” and anticipated “chaos” with Collins’s departure, which he later clarified by confirming his parental leave starting on September 11. He emphasized that he had not resigned and had not made definite plans to step down at year-end, according to the Boston Business Journal and State House News Service.
O’Brien’s extensive career in public service includes serving as a state representative and state senator from 1986 to 1995, as well as a treasurer from 1999 to 2002, during which she ran as the Democratic nominee for governor, challenging Mitt Romney.
