Democrats, GOP clash over firing of NUMC counsel Megan Ryan

Democrats on the board that runs Nassau University Medical Center are clashing with Republicans over a move by Democrats this week to fire general counsel Megan Ryan, escalating a weekslong dispute over the ouster of a Democratic board member.

After discussing Ryan's performance in executive session Wednesday night, the board voted 5-2, with one abstention, to terminate Ryan "for cause," according to board minutes.

The vote to fire Ryan, the longtime board counsel and also chief legal officer, was the latest development in a battle between Democrats and Republicans over control of the board of NuHealth, which operates NUMC.

The dispute erupted after County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, named Matthew Bruderman, who runs an investment firm, as the new board chairman on March 4.

Democrats sued to block Bruderman's appointment, arguing that Blakeman had terminated board member Ann Kayman illegally in order to open a seat for Bruderman, a major Republican campaign donor from Centre Island. 

Kayman was appointed by former Democratic County Executive Laura Curran, although Republicans said Curran lacked the authority to do so. 

Board member Edward Farbenblum told Newsday he and other Democrats voted to fire Ryan because of her failure to properly execute her duties as the board's chief legal officer.

Specifically, Farbenblum said he believed Ryan mishandled Kayman's appointment to the board in December, which Democrats said was legal. 

Farbenblum cited an affidavit by Ryan in the Democratic lawsuit, saying the document "appears to contradict" emails he and Ryan had exchanged previously.

"It's my opinion that [Ryan's] affidavit was not accurate as to my interactions with her," Farbenblum said. "Specifically, she seems to deny having told me that the Kayman [appointment] was a good appointment, even though, I recall a number of times, her telling me that the Kayman appointment was a good appointment."

Ryan did not respond to requests for comment on Friday.

In a statement to Newsday, Bruderman said Democrats "presented no facts or documents" to back up their allegations against Ryan, and "did not have a proper vote."

He argued, "the same members of the board that attempted to stop me from being seated on the board (Three Times), are now wrongfully attacking the General Counsel."

He continued: "From everything that I and the CEO have observed, and the amount of great things Meg Ryan has accomplished, I believe she should be recognized and thanked for her great work, not terminated."

In a subsequent text message, Bruderman said Ryan, who earns $450,000 a year, "was not terminated and is still serving in her role."

NuHealth chief executive and president Dr. Anthony Boutin "is not legally obligated to terminate Meg Ryan," Bruderman said.

Boutin did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

In a statement, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said he was "considering a wide range of options to thwart this blatantly political move … "

But Jason Abelove, a Democratic board member who introduced the motion to fire Ryan, told Newsday: "We anticipate that everyone in the hospital, including Mr. Bruderman, is going to carry out their duties and effectuate this termination."

Farbenblum, the immediate past board chairman, said the vote to fire Ryan was valid because the board had a quorum, with eight members present.

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com@ScottEidler

Scott Eidler is a deputy editor for the towns department at Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.