Berlin Disputes Account of His NYSAC Exit

UPDATE: Perhaps this issue will be discussed at this open meeting.

New York State Athletic Commission to Hold Public Meeting
on Thursday, June 2nd, 2016 at 3:00 p.m.

The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) will hold a public meeting on Thursday, June 2nd, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at the New York Department of State offices at 123 William Street in New York City to discuss a variety of issues pertinent to the Commission.
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David Berlin, who until last Friday was functioning as executive director of the New York State Athletic Commission, takes severe and public issue with the contention that he “resigned” from the post.

The attorney, who served at the pleasure of the Governor since March 2014, is in a fighting stance and is throwing hard and precise launches in the wake of his departure.

Berlin was named to the commission by Gov. Cuomo and is asking for a retraction sent out by a spokesman for the state, Laz Benitez, because, he says, he did not resign, he was terminated and was to be re-assigned to another agency, outside the commission.

Berlin’s POV is this–that he was fired because he reported wrongdoing by commission personnel to the state.

Word was whipping around the local fight community at the start of the week and NYF heard rumors of turmoil above and beyond what was laid forth in a Friday the 13th story penned by Thomas Hauser for Boxing Scene.

I wrote about the issue of the resignation/termination on Tuesday and on Wednesday touched base with Berlin. He stated to me some of the same contentions he made in a letter to the Governor, which protested the circumstances of his exit from the commission. He mentioned that he protested the move to the Governor and that he sent notice of his dismay to Mr. Cuomo. (The secretary of NY State, the executive deputy Secretary of State and current commission chairman Tom Hoover were CCd in the Cuomo letter.)

Berlin also said an attorney representing him sent a letter to the state/commission spokesman taking issue with the description of his parting of ways.

I asked to see both letters and Berlin complied. I have asked, as of late Wednesday afternoon, the spokesman Benitez to respond, and also asked for a response to some of the transgressions, as described by Berlin, performed by the “current Chair,” laid out in the letter to Cuomo. I re-sent an email to Benitez Thursday morning making sure he saw my request. I will insert any response when and if it is received.

What with the uncertainty of a looming regulation which could make required insurance coverage too expensive for most all NY promoters, and the shifting of commission focus toward MMA, and now this Berlin kerfuffle, these indeed are times of turmoil inside commission offices.