EC Comptroller's top staffer resigns

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A day after being found guilty of drunk driving, the Erie County Comptroller's Chief of Staff has resigned his position.

Jeffrey Bochiecho resigned after being convicted by DWI on Tuesday. Bochiecho had been arrested last October in the Town of Machies with a .13 percent BAC.

Newly-elected Comptroller Stefan Mychaljiw says he didn't know Bochiecho had been charged.

"The first time this information was brought to me was very, very late yesterday," Mychaljiw said.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says senior staffers in county government have a duty to report any criminal charges to the administration.

"If he did not disclose to Mr. Mychajliw, then of course that's something that should have been disclosed. And if Mr. Mychajliew did know it, well, shame on him for bringing a person into county government, knowing that that was a potential conviction that could happen," Poloncarz said.

News 4 broke the story of Bochiecho's conviction and brought it to Mychaljiw's attention when our reporters called his office for comment.

County Personnel Commissioner John Greenan said, "He expressed concern, obviously with the issue and asked that I immediately process the paperwork to remove Mr. Bochiecho from the payroll, once I received that letter of recommendation."

Mychaljiw was elected Comptroller after pledging to voters that he would keep people in power honest. "Politicians," he said, "have no idea what's about to hit them."

He was criticized by some who said his appointment of Bochiecho, a well-known fundraiser and campaign organizer, had been political.

Going forward, Mychaljiw says, "We want to hire the most qualified people for that position, quite frankly with political, government, and hopefully fiscal experience for that position of Chief of Staff."

Mychaljiw hopes to make a new appointment within a couple of weeks.