The Observer on "The Long Decline of Richard Lipsky"

The New York Observer has a long, gloomy piece on the once Observer-anointed, alleged bribe-giving lobbyist Richard Lipsky,The Long Decline of Richard Lipsky, which closes:

Unlike Mr. Lipsky, most lobbyists wanted those in office to stay-they relied on these relationships for business. He had burned so many bridges that he needed a whole new crop of lawmakers. It makes sense, then, they say, that Mr. Lipsky would be caught handing cash over to a longtime outer-borough lawmaker. It was the only way he could get anyone to take his calls.

"He wanted to start representing the fat cats, but because he was so obnoxious and aggressive, he didn't have that many successes," said longtime lobbyist Norman Adler. "When you are under pressure like that, you pull out all the stops."

Unmentioned is why Forest City Ratner might have wanted to hire Lipsky: to organize youth sports (as the developer claimed), to be an all-around weapon against Atlantic Yards opponents, and, perhaps most likely, simply to take him off the table so he wasn't available to those opponents.

Also note the comments from those who praise his work on Willets Point.