Chapman breaks silence on Skoufis allegations

GOSHEN –  Orange County Human Resources Commissioner Langdon Chapman did not mince words when he called Senator James Skoufis “Joe McCarthy Jr,” a “slick politician,” “political hack” and a politician who is setting the stage to seek reelection next year.

Skoufis saw Chapman’s comments as coming from “a man who knows he’s cornered.”

Skoufis has alleged that the information technology firm owned by Chapman’s brother-in-law was chosen because of Chapman’s influence. Chapman, the former county attorney, claimed that the senator is gunning for him because Chapman hired Dorey Houle, who he defeated last year and who is planning to run against him next year. Skoufis later noted Chapman appointed Houle to a job that has been vacant for decades, so he said the timing is suspect.

Chapman took exception to the senator’s “attack” on his family and he blasted Skoufis for claiming that his brother-in-law is in financial trouble, which he said is not the case.

“My family was maligned for political reasons by a slick Albany politician and unwitting and equally unethical colleagues of yours,” Chapman said. “The legislature should do anything it can to have those lies fully recognized as lies and is nothing more than a political spear that they are.”

The HR commissioner was also highly critical of the four county legislators who stood with Skoufis when he held a news conference in front of the county government center in Goshen, saying they should be censured for their comments. He singled out County Legislator Michael Anagnostakis, who also serves as chief advisor to Skoufis’ Senate Investigations Committee.

Meanwhile, the senator said Chapman’s diatribe is evidence of one thing. “Langdon Chapman flailed and lashed out like any individual who knows he is in trouble,” Skoufis said. “And the single most important thing we heard today was an unequivocal admission that the very idea to give a no-bid contract to StarCIO, his brother-in-law’s company, came from Mr. Chapman himself. He claims he recused himself – okay, yeah right – he provided the recommendation, put his thumb on the scale, and then only alleges he had nothing to do with anything. But by that point, the fix was already in.”

StarCIO was hired as a part-time information technology consultant for the county at a cost of over $500,000 and until a formal IT department is created in the new year with a commissioner and chief information officer.