Angelo Aponte

From The Times Union article : Veteran administrator Angelo Aponte’s retirement ends a tumultuous tenure that saw him sued by the Senate GOP for his actions during the June 2009 coup and, more recently, assailed by state Inspector General Joseph Fisch for his office’s release of information to AEG during the free-for-all bidding process that led to that company being selected and then rejected as the developer of the Aqueduct racino. The IG’s October report alleged that one of Aponte’s aides emailed AEG consultant Hank Sheinkopf an internal memo detailing and analyzing all six competing bids for the project. Fisch called Aponte’s testimony to his investigators “incredible,” but not in the good way. With the consensus hardening that the chamber will be in GOP hands in January, Aponte is getting out just in time to avoid payback for the coup and what Republicans described as his cavalier treatment of them during the handover of power to the Democrats two years ago. According to Senate records, Aponte was pulling in an annualized salary of roughly $190,000. Here’s John Sampson’s statement on Aponte’s exit: “Today, Secretary to the Senate Angelo Aponte announced his retirement. As a friend, colleague, and admirer of the devoted service he rendered to the State, I am sorry to see him depart, but grateful for the opportunity to have worked with a truly extraordinary public servant. “Even during the most difficult of circumstances, Angelo remained a friend to members from both sides of the aisle and oversaw an unprecedented modernization of the Senate. He helped usher in a new era of openness, transparency, and accountability to the public by utilizing new technology and guiding the application of new Senate rules to ensure more bipartisan operations were available to all 62 members and the people they serve. “I believe Angelo’s most lasting success will be his leading role in implementing a family leave policy and employee assistance program – benefits which never before existed in the Senate. “Angelo is a true Staten Islander at heart – tough, fair, and always ready to roll up his sleeves to help others. On behalf of the State Senate, I thank Angelo for his service and wish he and his wife Linda well in all future endeavors.” Highlights of Angelo Aponte’s 32 years of public service: - Secretary of the Senate - Commissioner, Division of Housing and Community Renewal under Mario Cuomo - NYC Commissioner of Consumer Affairs under Mayor Koch - Administrator at the College of Staten Island