Board Majority Become Human Shields for Supervisor's Misconduct

Perhaps the Town Board members who joined Supervisor Desso last evening in gagging public comment about Mr. Desso's continued refusal to obey a court order to pay Moscatiello's Restaurant $6,250 were afraid of the exercise of free speech when they ignored their own duly adopted rules allowing for public comment on "any topic" and became "human shields" protecting their Supervisor from hearing criticism of his conduct. Then again they might have forgotten their own rules passed each January at their Organizational Meeting which provide the order of public Town Board meetings including these words, "Residents may speak up to three minutes on any topic".

When seeing those in the audience it's pretty clear the Supervisor changed the rules when allowing public comment. Instead of a 30 plus year tradition of comment on any topic, Mr.Desso invited comment on "any town business". Sorry Mr.Desso, at the beginning of each meeting the rules of the Town Board invite comment on any agenda item, which is naturally, town business. But fear can do strange things to one's judgement. So a plan was obviously hatched with his allies to prevent anyone from criticizing his conduct in what has been a two plus year effort to steal $6,250 from Moscatiello's Restaurant, and utterly fail to report the money on his State Financial Disclosure Reports as either an "In Kind Contribution" or a payment. Falsifying these reports is a misdemeanor under State Law. But apparently Mr. Desso got Councilmen Spain and Bott to go along with a plan if needed to prevent anyone from speaking about this. If he saw a threat in the audience he would change the rules to permit comment on "town business"  not "ANY TOPIC" as provided for in the adopted rules of governance. Councilmen Spain and Bott became his human shields, interrupting each of two speakers and Supervisor Desso joined the chorus by demanding the speakers stop. Councilwoman Kelly Hoffman remained quiet during the charade leaving only newly elected Councilwoman Sabo to wonder why the speakers could not speak.

You can find all of the documents related to this ongoing disgrace of the Supervisor dragging the town through the mud for the past year, refusing to pay the bill, falsifying his Financial Disclosure forms by first not reporting the money as a payment or a contribution, then when questioned by the press, trying to claim all the money by filing a report listing the entire $7,000 bill as an "in kind" contribution, then deleting it upon realizing that $1,000 is the maximum contribution allowed by law.

After a Judge heard Mr. Desso play victim in sworn testimony, touting all the favors he did as Supervisor for the Moscatiello family, all the business he brought there, the gift certificates he bought, the Court ruled decisively that the bill had not been paid and ordered full restitution, $6,250.00

But apparently, majority Board Members don't think the Supervisor's conduct is "Town Business" the way it was many year's ago when a board member was charged with murdering his wife. Having lived through that time, a board member's personal conduct was sure town business as all demanded he resign over the charges.

Freedom of Speech cannot be taken for granted, anymore than Lou Desso paying his restaurant bill. Instead, he performed a "Dine and Dash" caper worthy of the Guinness Book of Records.

So when Al Spain, Joe Bott and Kelly Hoffman paid to go to Lou Desso's Fundraiser back in July of 2015, they must have expected Lou to keep nearly all the money they paid him and stiff the restaurant for most of the bill. Otherwise they'd be just as angry as the restaurant owner and most folks in this town who always pay their bills when they go out to eat or pay for goods and services. Why else would they be protecting him from his own conduct as our Town Supervisor by joining him in stopping public criticism of his ongoing inexcusable conduct?

North Greenbush residents should realize how much they have to loose and voice their opinions.Al Spain should realize that no one wanted a press release out of last evenings disgraceful conduct. But instead of 10 people in the board meeting hearing two people criticize Desso's conduct, 60,000 people will read about it in the Times Union, not only about Desso's misconduct but Al Spain, Joe Bott and Kelly Hoffman stepping on the right of every citizen to speak at town board meetings, the First Amendment Al, read it.

The Times Union has published an article you can read here. Congratulations Lou, Al, Joe! Instead of a few people hearing about it at a meeting last night, the entire Capital District is reading about your sophomoric behavior.