Feb 19, 2013 2:07 PM
Rebecca Molinaro will replace Larry Cantwell as East Hampton Village administrator, Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. announced at a Village Board meeting on Friday. Ms. Molinaro, who is the village clerk-treasurer in Westhampton Beach, will start her new job on May 1.
Ms. Molinaro worked as an executive assistant to New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. for 10 years before joining Westhampton Beach three years ago. She has a master’s degree in public policy from Stony Brook University.
“Becky’s education and work experience is directly within the area of expertise required for the position of village administrator and this makes her an outstanding choice to carry on the tradition of good work by Larry,” a statement from Mayor Rickenbach said. “They will work together beginning in May until Larry’s expected... more
Ms. Molinaro worked as an executive assistant to New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. for 10 years before joining Westhampton Beach three years ago. She has a master’s degree in public policy from Stony Brook University.
“Becky’s education and work experience is directly within the area of expertise required for the position of village administrator and this makes her an outstanding choice to carry on the tradition of good work by Larry,” a statement from Mayor Rickenbach said. “They will work together beginning in May until Larry’s expected... more
By contrast, all I did was state facts and draw reasonable inferences from those facts. Contrary to what you say, that's not throwing mud. If I had wanted to get in the mud business, I'd have taken it another step, ...more but I didn't, you did.
I know you'll say that it seems I only question such behavior on the part of Republicans and Conservatives. That's mostly true, because I am admittedly a partisan, but there are plenty of partisans on the other side to call the Dems to account, and that's how a democracy works. Again and again, you forget that just because a comment comes from a partisan doesn't mean it's without merit.
Being a public employee is the qualifier here?
"Embarrassing difficulties"
You mean the ones where the State of New York looked, saw no irregularities of note and decided NOT to do an audit?
"She has to know that it gives the appearance of a hasty departure under fire"
Of, most likely, she had tired of Mr. Tucker and crew looking for publicity at her expense.
And ...more from the article: Asked if the controversy in Westhampton Beach led her to apply for the position in East Hampton, Ms. Molinaro said she did not have a “personal comment.”
That, sir, is class.
Now, show some and tell us what YOU think is wrong with Ms Molinaro's ability. Take your time. It will be a task that you are not up to. You love the game of "smoke and fire" when it suits you.
The State has investigated and found no irregularities, yet still they are baying at her heels, and the way I read it, she has done nothing wrong much less committed any misfeasance.
You suggest that there's a cloud over her head -- from here it looks like the real cloud is over Hank Tucker and his cohorts.
And, yes, ...more I acknowledge that you are much closer physically to the matter than I, but you have no basis for questioning MY partisanship -- if you can even make a case for it in this matter!
This isn't about me, though -- it's about Rebecca Molinaro, and your attempt to tarnish her with your innuendo, never mind the shot at East Hampton for, in your jaundiced view, not having fully vetted the woman.
Yes, I do believe 13 years in public employment involves learning a great deal about politics, unless the individual is dense, and neither of us thinks Ms. Molinaro is that. It's especially educational when 10 of those 13 years were spent working for Fred Thiele, one of the most astute politicians on Long Island.
It's true that New York State gave the financial slip-ups a pass, but as you point out, certain WHB trustees didn't, so the issue ...more was still out there, right or wrong, making this a bad time for a job change, PR-wise. It's the old Caesar's wife thing; one in public life must both be and appear to be blameless.
On the question of whether the controversy led to the East Hampton job application, you call the no-comment answer "class." I call it a poor choice. The right answer would have been "No," without further elaboration.
I won't address Ms. Molinaro's ability, because I never questioned that, I question her judgment. She might well be the "gem" you say she is, but her timing on this job change is appalling and, I repeat, puzzling in one who knows what's what politically.
Now Mr. Wheeler:
What I've replied to But covers your opening comments, so let's go to the partisanship thing. Read carefully -- I didn't call you a partisan. In fact, I don't think you are, which you may take as a compliment, but I just see as a fact. I said that your perception of my partisanship colors your comments and blinds you to the simple core facts of the matter, which I won't repeat, having stated them above. That's the long and short of it.
I took no shot at East Hampton. That comment about not vetting Ms. M. was by our friend razza above (Feb. 15, 3:14 PM). Try and keep it all straight, won't you?
You accuse me of suggesting there's a "cloud' over Ms. Molinaro's head and an "attempt to tarnish her with . . . innuendo." Let's go back to my exact language. I wrote: "She has to know that it" (the timing of the job change) "gives the appearance of a hasty departure under fire. If that is not truly the case, then it's hard to understand why she'd do something that makes it look like the case."
I don't know about clouds or innuendo, but Rebecca Molinaro is presumably -- I'll say it again -- politically astute -- and her timing of this move can only be explained as a gross lapse in judgment, or as what was in fact an exit under fire. End of story.
You know, neither of you is doing Ms. Molinaro any favor by prolonging this thread. I would have been content to post my original comment and leave it at that, but you all are keeping the issue alive by going on and on, and you know I'll respond until it becomes too tiresome even for me. Rebecca Molinaro may well be 100% blameless in this (and just guilty of lousy judgment), but your misguided "defense" of her just keeps the accusations in everyone's face. Think about that.
As far as her timing? Opportunity knocks just once. Here was an opportunity to leave a cesspool of small town chumps ( Tucker et al) and go to a place where she is replacing someone who held the seat for decades.
The issue of the ...more state "giving" her a pass, but the trustees didn't? That would be the first time in recorded history that a politician was looking for face time in the press, wouldn't it? That Mr. Tucker and crew wanted to pay $175.00 per hour to a friend to audit the books, screams of the need for a change on the village board.
Now I tire of this debate. Au revoir dude.
> comment and leave it at that.......
Of course you would have, hoping that you wouldn't get called on it.
Well, you have, and have been found wanting -- and I'm trying to be polite here.
I absolutely agree with "Blank" that your sole intention, whatever the reason, to comment on this story, was "to besmirch" Ms. Molinaro.
What you've done is "spin" Ms. Molinaro's move as a bad one by characterizing it "a ...more gross lapse in judgment." Implicit in that is a belief by you that in making an upward move, that a situation that she brought about because of her misfeasance or unprofessionalism.
(And that is most definitely a shot at East Hampton Village, that they would go ahead and hire someone with that "stink on her.")
Also, you persist in refusing to allow for the possibility that she wants out of an untenable situation not of her own making.
You want to spin it as "a hasty departure under fire;" I would postulate, having read this report and many comments as well as that of the blogger you once dismissed in a disparaging manner, that the young woman is tired of being harangued and is doing her best to leave (after having completed the budget) in a lady-like and professional manner with her head held high.
Quiogue abuts Westhampton Beach, so I don't think you have a horse in this race, you you're much closer to this particular ground zero than I am. So if you have "special information" about "the real story" behind this, out with it!
For that, the two temple dogs who apparently guard the sanctity of this public employee, came charging out to savage me. Turns out they're ...more not that tough, these temple dogs. They couldn't really bite me for just standing up and exercising my rights because then they'd look like bad dogs, so they tried to chew on my motives instead, but they got all tangled up doing that.
Once more, all together: The motives don't matter, the partisanship doesn't matter, all that matters is whether the comment is valid on its face. Have we got it now? Finally?
Some of this is the old thing about the guilty fleeing when none pursue. No, Mr. W, I don't have any inside info, but maybe one or both of you does, and maybe that explains why you're so hyper about this matter.
Remember, I acknowledged above as follows: "Rebecca Molinaro may well be 100% blameless in this (and just guilty of lousy judgment) . . ." I did not set out to "besmirch" her as you both claim, but if I had wanted to do that, I couldn't have had better helpers than you two, because you just keep waving the laundry for all to see. When will you wise up and stop?
And your insistence that every time you are called out just further validates your original comment, is the faltering refuge of an exposed scoundrel!
(Speaking of which, just how many identities DO you use here, TB? I make this at least the third, if not more.)
I cannot speak for "Blank," but no temple dog here -- just someone who recognizes your game for exactly what it is. I've defended ...more you when you are right, and I've called you out when your comments are preposterously partisan and unfair.
This has been one of them, and I have every expectation that you will obstinately sink beneath the waters of Aspatuck Creek before acknowledging it, but the the laundry which has been hung out in this comment section is yours, not that of the future East Hampton Village Clerk.
The terminology isn't important, though. Whatever you call it, the two sides keep a watch on each other -- if a Dem in public life behaves questionably, ...more the Republicans call him/her out, and vice versa, and that's how democracy works, as I said somewhere above. What's the problem with that?
For the record, I have used only one screen name to post comments -- Turkey Bridge -- for a long time, until making this stupid but innocent mistake last night. Come to think of it, it's the same kind of stupid but innocent mistake that might well be the explanation for Ms. Molinaro's behavior that we've been discussing at such length.
I didn't say that your posting validates my original comment (though it's an interesting idea). I said your repeated posting, and But's, keeps the issue -- which you two maintain is a non-issue -- before the public. In other words, regardless of who owns the laundry, it's your actions, not mine, that keep it hung out there.