Hearing Wraps For Buffalo School Board Member Who Insulted Obama

ALBANY, NY — A decision on whether a one-time candidate for New York governor who publicly insulted former President Barack Obama should remain on a school board is expected in several weeks.

Layers wrapped up a five-day hearing in Albany on Wednesday.

State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia will make her decision on Carl Paladino's future on the Buffalo school board after receiving written briefs until mid-July. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Fellow school board members say Paladino improperly disclosed information about teacher contract negotiations discussed in closed-door sessions.

But Paladino says the real reason for the action is comments he made about Obama published in a Buffalo arts newspaper. Paladino says those comments — including his wish that the former president die of mad cow disease — weren't meant for publication.

Photo credit: Will Waldron /The Albany Times Union via AP