Late on Friday, Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Richie Kessel, a well-known political figure in Nassau County, as the new chairman of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority (NIFA), a state financial oversight and control board. This decision has raised concerns among many, including myself.
As a former NIFA board member, I understand the importance of having independent directors who can impartially oversee Nassau County’s finances, given its history of fiscal mismanagement. Unfortunately, Richie Kessel does not meet this standard. His appointment is like putting the fox in charge of the hen house.
Richie Kessel, a Democrat with a controversial history, started his career as a political assistant in Governor Mario Cuomo’s administration. He gained attention for his attention-seeking behavior, such as wearing a ninja turtle mask to criticize the cost of Halloween candy.
After Governor George Pataki appointed him as the chairman of the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), Kessel was accused of being disingenuous and a snake-oil salesman. Both Pataki and Cuomo saw Kessel as a political lackey who would obediently fulfill their orders.
During his time at LIPA, Kessel expanded the organization’s staff to over 100 employees, despite it needing only a small team. Many of these employees made six-figure salaries and had personal connections to the political elite.
An audit by the Office of the State Comptroller revealed that LIPA paid a Republican lobbying organization $45,000 for political polling, contradicting its own rules for bidding contracts.
In 2007, Governor Eliot Spitzer had the good sense to fire Kessel. Shortly after his dismissal, then-Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s office questioned Kessel’s approval of over $1 million in LIPA contributions to various Long Island charities, which seemed to conflict with LIPA’s mission to reduce utility rates.
However, Kessel’s career in public service was far from over. In 2008, Governor David Patterson appointed him as the CEO of the New York Power Authority (NYPA), where he continued his pattern of making political hires and using NYPA resources for personal convenience. Records showed that Kessel took numerous flights on NYPA’s aircraft for short distances, despite the availability of other transportation options.
Surprisingly, Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was familiar with Kessel’s questionable conduct, not only fired him in 2011 but also ordered an investigation by the state Inspector General. The subsequent report revealed violations of the Public Officers Law and NYPA’s Code of Conduct, including a financial loan between Kessel and one of his subordinates that went unreported and a failure to disclose a personal legal relationship that led to questionable contract awards.
With this disgraceful track record, it is perplexing why Governor Hochul would choose Richie Kessel to lead NIFA. The board requires a dedicated fiscal overseer, not a political puppet.
George J. Marlin served on the Nassau Interim Finance Authority from 2010-2014.
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