Columbia University fired mesothelioma research expert who was a witness to the central charge in the criminal case against the former president of the Assembly of the State of New York without following proper termination procedures of school for professors, a judge ruled.Manhattan Supreme Court Mendez Manuel confirmed the findings of a special arbitrator determined the college violated the due-process rights of Dr. Robert Taub by ending it in 2015 after federal official corruption charges against former President Sheldon Silver came to light.
According to the charges against Silver Southern District US Attorney Preet Bharara, reference Taub victims of asbestos exposure law firm Weitz & Luxenberg Manhattan resulted in some $ 3 million in payments of cash fee the company.
In return, prosecutors said, two money funneled $ 250,000 state grant to support asbestos Taub's research at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Mesothelioma Center in 2005 and 2006.
After the accusations emerged, Columbia informed Taub in January 2015, it would no longer have a job as of July 22, 2015.
Jeffrey Helewitz special referee, after a hearing in March 2016, concluded that the cessation of Columbia Taub was held without a hearing in violation of university rules for the dismissal of members holding faculty.
"After the hearing, in determining well-reasoned and detailed, the special referee recommended" a multi-step procedure "necessary" for legal interruption, Mendez wrote in Taub v. Columbia University, 155657/15. "A review of the transcript of the hearing and the comments of both parties, demonstrate that respondents have not established that the special referee in accepting the arguments of the applicant exceeded the limits of the reference that court or that this court should reject the recommendation. "
Mendez also canceled the previous order requiring Taub to post a $ 100,000 business as he continued his call and explicitly ordered the college to follow the "letter and spirit" of due process rules to end full professors in manual faculty of Columbia University and other university regulations.
Britain had argued before the Mendez Helewitz report exceeded its powers, which would have limited the special referee for only decide if Taub was entitled to a decision.
Silver, a Manhattan Democrat who was speaker from 1994 to 1915, was convicted of seven charges related to the sale of his office and sentenced to 12 years in prison (NYLJ, May 4). He is appealing.
Taub, 80, was perhaps key prosecution witness against Silver in the trial of the former president. He testified that he made nearly 50 patients referred to Weitz & Luxenberg between 2002 and 2013 (NYLJ, Nov. 5, 2015).
Taub was a professor of medicine specializing in the research of mesothelioma in Columbia for over 35 years to be involved in the matter of money. He was also an oncologist at Columbia University Medical Center.
Partner John Curley Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney called for Taub.
Bettina Plevan, partner at Proskauer Rose, and Susan Friedfel, senior partner at the firm, represented Columbia.
