NY courts spokesman fired after saying he 'barely' worked

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York state court system's longtime communications chief was fired Thursday after inadvertently telling a reporter that he "barely" went to work at his $166,000-a-year job.

David Bookstaver's firing came a day after the New York Post reported he unwittingly dialed a reporter's voicemail, which captured him conversing with someone else — and acknowledging that he was sloughing off at the office.

"I'm not doing anything. I barely show up to work," Bookstaver said in a part of the recording the newspaper posted online.

The 58-year-old had been planning to retire in October from his communications director job. Instead, he was terminated, chief court spokesman Lucian Chalfen said.