| Notes |
After several fits and starts, Gov. David A. Paterson has picked a new counsel, Peter J. Kiernan, a top aide said on Tuesday.
Kiernan has been a partner at the Manhattan law firm of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, specializing in public finance. He was counsel to the State Senate Democrats in the late 1970s and is a trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission.
The counsel’s office plays a critical role in the executive branch, vetting potential bills, among other duties. It has remained without a permanent leader since David Nocenti, who was Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s chief counsel, departed over the summer.
Mr. Paterson initially picked James A. Yates, a state judge, for the job, but Mr. Yates ended up backing out. Then the governor’s staff said Mr. Paterson was likely to select Karen S. Burstein, a former Democratic nominee for attorney general, but that pick fizzled as well.
Mr. Kiernan has had a diverse career. Among other things, as a top executive of Watermark Associates, he helped the super-rich find places to park their yachts. New York magazine, which first reported the Kiernan pick, also notes his prolific giving to Mr. Paterson’s predecessor, Mr. Spitzer. |