Jonathan Saidel DROPs joke on Ron Donatucci
The best thing for reporters about former City Controller Jonathan Saidel acting as master of ceremonies at political events -- you never know what he's going to say. The worst thing for the politicians who show up for such events -- they never know what he's going to say.
The best thing for reporters about former City Controller Jonathan Saidel acting as master of ceremonies at political events: You never know what he's going to say. The worst thing for the politicians who show up for such events: They never know what he's going to say.
And so it went this afternoon as Saidel took the podium at City Hall's Mayor's Reception Room to talk about all the politicians who showed up for Dan McCaffery's official announcement that he will run for state Attorney General. Saidel joked his way through the list, saving his best zinger for longtime Register of Wills Ron Donatucci.
"And the man who has been Register of Wills since 1790, except for five days last week, my man Ron Donatucci," Saidel exclaimed in a veiled reference to the brief retirement Donatucci took on Dec. 23 to collect a payment from the controversial Deferred Retirement Option Plan.
Donatucci, who covered his eyes with his hand and shook his head, collected about $366,787 from DROP before being sworn in for a new four-year term Monday.