Former Pataki appointee to appear in court for abuse of staff

ALBANY Former New York health commissioner and U.S. surgeon general Antonia Novello is scheduled to be arraigned this morning in Albany County court for alleged criminal acts during her state service, according to people familiar with an investigation that drew testimony from several state officials in recent weeks.

She served in the office under Gov. George Pataki from 1999 to 2006 following her service as surgeon general under President George H.W. Bush from 1990 to 1993. She would be the latest of a series of state officials investigated and prosecuted for the way they conducted themselves as a public servant.

In a strongly worded report in January, Inspector General Joseph Fisch said Novello shamelessly and blatantly exploited and abused her staff by requiring guards to chauffeur her to malls and stores and required staffers to rack up 2,540 hours of overtime at a cost of $50,000 in taxpayer dollars.

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