How Yassky Lost His Sheen (A Personal View)

yassky When the City Council rejected the application to landmark 184 Kent at the end of last year, we thought the thing stank of dirty politics and backroom deals, but reserved most of our ire for Simcha Felder, even wondering out loud about the size of 184 Kent owner Moishe Kestenbaum's campaign contributions. We lost a lot respect for Yassky (who we used to sorta like for no particular reason) at that point, too, mostly for having the arrogance to presume he had the knowledge and taste to be passing judgment on a building's historic and architectural merit. "This is simply not worthy of landmarking," he said at the time. Oh really? Based on what? Now the Daily News is reporting that, surprise, surprise, both Kestenbaum and Joshua Guttman, the shady owner of the Greenpoint Terminal Market, have recently written checks to Yassky. This is hardly ground-rattling news, as these guys have probably lined the pockets of every pol in town, but still, the squeaky-clean image that Yassky tries to project is forever tarnished in our minds.
Real Estate Biz Boosts Yassky Run [NY Daily News]
City Council Rejects 184 Kent [Brownstoner]

Comments

You liked him for the same reason lots of us did, he comes across as the kind of guy you would want your sister to marry. But politicians should be liked for their record and Yassky's is nothing to gloat over. Pure opportunist are the two words that come to mind when I think of him.

Posted by: walter at May 12, 2006 9:56 AM

Yassky is an opportunist and will sell you out in a minute. When we were fighting firehouse closings he claimed he was with us all the way. Kept coming out to rallies, urging us to keep fighting. Just before the vote to accept Bloomberg's budget or not,(THe CC had threatened to vote it down unless firehouses were reopened) there was a rally at Eng. 212. Yassky came and spoke- same rah rah speech. We're with you....don't give up...blah, blah,blah. Then he comes over to several of us and says he is voting for the budget anyway because Gifford Miller threatened to take away the discretionary funds of anyone who voted against it. And did the local firehouse activist (which is also a great community activist group with a lot of great programs)group want to lose the money Yassky gave them? To his everlasting credit, the director said you cut back my funding from 20,000 to 5000- Do you think you can threaten me with that lousy $5000?

Posted by: Anonymous at May 12, 2006 10:35 AM

Opportunistic and callow. That's my impression.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 12, 2006 10:40 AM

I love my sister, why would I want her to marry a scumbag?

He lies for votes. Plain and simple. His boss is cash.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 12, 2006 10:56 AM

blind greed has overtaken america

Posted by: Anonymous at May 12, 2006 10:59 AM

As the song says "he's a scumbag don't you know"

Posted by: Anonymous at May 12, 2006 2:26 PM

He stands for nothing but his own personal ambition, has a Napoleon complex but lacks the creativity to imagine the world he dreams of dominating.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 12, 2006 2:34 PM

why would anyone want to marry a politician! let alone yoursomeones sister!

Posted by: armchair warrior at May 12, 2006 5:32 PM

This is not a comment on Yasky, just on Bklyn politics in general...supposedly its really small amounts of money in the grand scheme of things that buy off our Brooklyn politicians. Like Ratner's donations to Markowitz and others who support his plans are pretty small. I guess if you aren't as cynical as I am you'd think that means they just like the plans and the money means nothing. But I honestly don't think so. I just think the money doesn't flow in to Brooklyn politicos' coffers like it did in the grand ole days and these guys have to do something to stay in office.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 12, 2006 7:42 PM

I am a Yassky fan. He has put more time and energy into his constituents in the Gowanus Houses than his pricey B. Heights voters, which is what government is all about, as far as I can see. I for one think he's a smart guy with a progressive mission, less in the pocket of big money guys than most. Sorry others don't see it that way.

Posted by: anonymous at May 12, 2006 10:47 PM

He's a smart guy who has made a dumb move. Those of us in Greenpoint who held a fundraiser for him at the brewery a few years back are now at a loss to explain his idiotic support for Simcha Felder. And for what? The orthodox vote? Anyway, we will remember this and support his downfall.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 13, 2006 10:16 AM

If you're worried about him, put your vote where your concern is...he's running for Congress and hoping that his squeaky clean "liberal" persona is enough for people to vote for him. If he doesn't represent you at City Hall, why give him the opportunity to represent you in Washington?

Posted by: Anonymous at May 14, 2006 2:13 PM

agree with the majority of readers - yassky = career politician.

He's just passing time until he can get elected to a higher office. No interest in his constituents, just the power players who can get him a better job.

Posted by: chuck at May 15, 2006 12:11 PM

Thank god someone is calling attention to Yassky's emptiness. I agree with all of the above negative posters. I've had a lot of dealings with his office, both directly and indirectly, and he's such a liar. Now he has Evan Thies bald-faced lying for him as well. I'm not naive about politics, but one can handle it better than this. He's betrayed everyone who believed in him, at least in Greenpoint/Williamsburg. The 184 Kent tragedy is just the tip of the iceberg. He's also responsible for the "Finger Building" being allowed to go so high (22 stories), for allowing thousands of jobs to be zoned out of existence, etc. He's a rat in nice liberal boy clothing.

Posted by: Burgette at May 16, 2006 11:36 PM

I find myself amazed at the amount of people that find Yassky a failure, as I do, but are afraid to identify themselves. If you have an opinion express it and let the world know who you are!
Now regarding Yassky...........if you have any question as to what type of polotician he is, you can ask me. We are presently being evicted due to his wonderful idea of re-zoning many areas of Brooklyn. Last Nov. 2005 his office told me in no uncertain terms that I was not to call his office... since then we have not heard from them.Yet in a news paper interview they were quoted as stating that they were working on our dilema - How does one deal with a problem, when one is not in contact with thoes that have the problem. This is a politican for the people? His office alone has held up grants for small companies so that they might be able to move. These grants and the fight for them, has been going on since June 2005 - how quickly the political machine moves to help those in need!! At present his only interest is a run for a congressional seat and those (big business) that can help fund his campagin.
Anyone wanting further information can contact me at : pennstate.fab@verizon.net

Posted by: Herb Engler at May 18, 2006 1:42 PM

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May 12, 2006

How Yassky Lost His Sheen (A Personal View)

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