Kessel Asides

Street Corner Conservative has a long-standing practice of not writing about itself but makes an exception for the following.  On Thursday, December 3, Street Corner attended its first ever Christmas Party on Long Island, in this case one hosted by a leading business group run by one of the savviest political operators on Long Island.  Attending the party were real estate barons, captains of industry, politicians, lawyers, bankers and brokers and assorted other hanger-ons.  And Richie Kessel.

THE KESSEL COUNTDOWN: 384 DAYS UNTIL RICHIE KESSEL IS FIRED BY THE NEW GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK.

Kessel Asides

Long-time observers of Richie Kessel will remember that after being fired by then Governor Eliot Spitzer as CEO of LIPA in early 2007, Kessel was casting about for another government gig.  Before our accidental Governor, David Paterson, appointed him to NYPA in October 2008, Kessel had serious discussions with Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi who reportedly agreed to appoint Kessel as Deputy County Executive for “local government consolidation” or somesuch.  Kessel is believed to have held the Suozzi offer as insurance against striking out with Paterson.  The inept Paterson did not disappoint our Richie.

Faithful readers know that Street Corner Conservative believes that the next Governor of the Empire State (assuming it is not the hapless Paterson) will once again give Kessel his walking papers. That’s no surprise.

But what is new is the results of the recent Nassau County elections, Kessel’s home county.  Last month, after running an arrogant and careless campaign spending more time over the months in Buffalo than Bethpage and more time with the Watertown Times than with the Anton weekly papers, Suozzi has lost a close election to the giantkiller, Ed Mangano.  Further, the Nassau Dems lost control of the County Legislature.  Jay Jacobs, the one time wonderkin of the Nassau Democratic Party and now State Chair of the Democratic Party, has been exposed as a summer camp director who rode the anti-Gulotta sentiment to control of the County and now is no longer seen as the political wizard behind the screen.

The bottom line is that should our next Governor again send Richie to the showers, he will find no soft landing working for Suozzi or the Democratic majority in the Legislature.

THE KESSEL COUNTDOWN: 391 DAYS UNTIL RICHIE KESSEL IS FIRED BY THE NEW GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK.