An attorney for Gian Hasija, dismissed yesterday from his job as director of the Bloomfield Public Library, told a news conference today that there was a “political agenda” by “certain forces within this town” behind the firing.
The attorney, Timothy Smith, said that Hasija was dismissed about a month after declining to offer full-time employment to a worker who’d been accused of sexual harassment.
Asked whether Hasija’s dismissal was a case of political patronage, Smith said, “That’s exactly what it is, political patronage.”
Librarians from Newark, Glen Ridge and Orange came to the news conference in support of Hasija, as did some members of the reading public.
“This is terrible. This should not happen,” said library user Diana McTigue, who came to the makeshift podium after Smith had finished talking. “You have never seen a better librarian.”
Bloomfield councilwoman Janice Maly also showed up to support Hasija and spoke to reporters the news conference was over. “The mayor’s behind it,” she said. “There is indeed political patronage in Bloomfield and it all stems from Mayor McCarthy. There’s no reason for the hard working people of this town to be treated this way.”
Smith said his client was denied due process for being dismissed, without pay, without any criminal charges against him. But a public hearing is scheduled for April 14. “This is not a permanent goodbye,” Smith said. “He’s going to have his day in court and he’s going to be back.”
Hasija discussed his accomplishments as library director in his almost six-year tenure. Top among them was getting the library to join BCCLS, the regional library system, and reversing a much-criticized library policy of charging $1 an hour for patrons to use the internet.
Mayor McCarthy has not yet returned our call. We will update if he does.
A political agenda? In Bloomfield? Nah!
A major accomplishment is reversing a $1 per hour internet charge?
Lemme guess, $160k per year, + benefits + longevity bonus?
“Mayor McCarthy has not yet returned our call. We will update if he does.”
As your attorney, I advise you not to hold your breath.
Talk about a place to start to regionalize? START HERE!
Salary: $84400.00 as per http://php.app.com/NJpublicemployees/search.php
ROC, Paying $1 an hour internet is a big deal for some people.
Yeah, real political agenda there. The staff member he’s talking about doesn’t live in Bloomfield. This guy has been under investigation for a loooong time. The staff people despise him.
BTW, did he use the library photocopiers to make those Bring back Gian signs? lol
“ROC, Paying $1 an hour internet is a big deal for some people.”
And this “major accomplishment” of repealing the fee must have taken what, 5, 6 minutes? Maybe 7 if he’s a slow typist and/or a spell checker was engaged?