The Kessel NYPA Watch, February 21, 2010 – By George J. Marlin
The Kessel Barometer: Bad News for Governor Paterson
The Paterson Barometer: Bad News for Richie
Wildlife biologists know that before the tsunami strikes, birds and small mammals, like squirrels, jackals and weasels, head for high ground to avoid the wrath of the storm.
Yesterday, at Hofstra University in Nassau County, the Kessel Barometer, which tracks the behavior of a rare species—Kesselus hackus—declared David Paterson politically dead. You see, Paterson picked Kessel out of the dustbin of State political history after Kessel was summarily fired by then Governor Spitzer early in 2007 and our Accidental Governor installed him as CEO of the New York Power Authority. In ordinary times, Kessel is loyal—as long as it serves his interests and those of his political masters.
Well, Kessel’s loyalty has expired and yesterday, only a few miles from his South Shore home, Kessel didn’t show at the Governor’s election campaign announcement. Given Paterson’s weak poll numbers, desultory performance as Chief Executive and the devastating New York Times page 1 story on Friday, the flight of elected officials from the Paterson train wreck is unsurprising. But unlike these pols who have independent careers and who don’t owe their livelihoods to Paterson, Kessel’s revival is due solely to Paterson’s decision to accede to Al D’Amato’s intercessions. Hence, Richie’s failure to stand with Paterson is a shocking act of political cowardice.
Like the birds headed away from the shore as 80 foot waves approach, Kessel’s betrayal of his most recent patron is the surest sign of Paterson’s political demise.
Political watchdogs should expect to witness Kessel’s unseemly attempts to curry favor with the presumptive Governor. Long time observers of Kessel’s career will remember Governor Mario Cuomo’s statement in 1995; “I lost contact with Richie Kessel, who somehow was able to swim the political rapids from the Democratic side to the Republican side.”
The clock is ticking on Richie Kessel.
streetcornerconservative.com 
March 26, 2010 at 12:12 pm
This man is draging NYPA into the ground by using NYPA money for his pet projects that only benefits his political career. NYPA is not and Agency therefor why is it that we must give NYPA profits to the NYS. This person has taken position away from long time loyal employees to fill them with his Long Isand friends. He puts himself in the highest position of the US by having a Chief of Staff, a position that never existed until he became president. The suprise is that no one knows what this person does, but the person is getting big bucks.
February 26, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Well, what do you expect? A CEO who admitted he doesn’t know what an Engineer is or does! A CEO who creates positions to move reputable people out of that position (who by the way, who knows what they are doing) and replace them with food distributors and tax collectors. And why all from Long Island?
Kessel is a jerk of the highest order. How does he get away with doing what he does? Because, all of Albany Pol’s are crooks.
The Fed’s should investigate the relationship of PASNY with the NYS Government…and goodbye tax exemption! PASNY is supposed to be overseen by the State. Not to take dollars from the citizens of NYS…and their workers.
February 26, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Now that Paterson is pulling the plug on his campaign, perhaps the incompetant and uncredentialed 16th floor will stop giving so much credence to the ubiquitous 2nd floor. Then again…these bureaucrats with their little civil servant minds are too myopic to see how they’re self-destructing right in front of the actual professionals who work at, and care about, NYPA and its mission. The real mission…not the fluff, the micro-management by the pathologically insecure, and the dead beat governor. You reap what you sow folks and we’re laughing at you.
P.S. Denise O’Donnell is my hero as well as the rest of my co-workers who I am proud to work with and who actually know the meaning of integrity. Unlike our boss (has anyone ever worked with a President who cared so much about the minutiae?) who had the audacity to say he brought integrity back to NYPA (what a joke). Hope Cuomo isn’t as short-sighted as Paterson.
P.S.S. Mr. Marlin keep up the good work and the pressure. We have always been a political institution, but it has never existed to this degree. NYPA actually makes money and that money should be used to create new business in NY….unfortunately, however, that money is being used for political reasons. Also, we are not an agency and we should have received raises as well as our well earned bonuses. We are not tax payer supported, but we have contributed to the general fund. Get rid of programs and entitlements. We make money because we are smart professionals. These “agency” people need to go.
February 23, 2010 at 11:54 pm
Having seen ole Rickie in action he is w/o question a coward. NOt to mention a suck up (look at all the suck-ups he has brought in) and the most dispicable person i’ve ever met. In less than 2 yrs the likes of Richie, Gil and now Libby have trashed the work of the last 10 yrs of all of the “unconnected” workers. Libby, who could not get a job anywhere else, is probably trying to figure out how she can trash NYPA’s balance sheet to curry favor with Richie (and hang onto this job) to the same sad state she did at LIPA….where she was reviled. I can only hope a new Gov will save NYPA from getting the same crummy rep that LIPA now has. Oh for the days of Hiney, Deasy, Zeltmann and the old risk guy. They all cared about the place and had intergrity. Something these 3 all clearly lack.
February 22, 2010 at 4:06 pm
Why should anyone be surprised at Kessel’s “political cowardice”. He doesn’t even have the nerve to address NYPA employees regarding “don’t ask, don’t tell” salary policy. We haven’t seen or heard hide nor hair of him in weeks. The organization is on a malfunctioning autopilot. If Patterson could read instead of being read to he might see that his most trusted appointees are nothing but thieves of the state.
February 21, 2010 at 6:22 pm
I work in WPO and Richie tells one and all that he is very close to Andrew and will stay on at PASNY when Andrew becomes Governor and that he has convinced Andrew to suppress several proposed investigations of PASNY. I hope and pray for the day that the Kessel nightmare ends