NORWICH – An official from New York Regional Interconnect Inc. confirmed this morning that only a few weeks after hiring high-powered lobbyist Patricia Lynch, their $180k contract with her Albany-based firm was canceled.
“My understanding is that we were working together,” said www.evesun.com/topics/news/NYRI/">NYRI spokesperson Jonathan Pierce. “Once the legislation passed through the Assembly we mutually decided to go another way.”
Before the state legislature went into recess on June 23, a bill that could lawfully remove the use of eminent domain to acquire private property by certain transmission companies, such as NYRI, was pushed through in the final hours by both the Senate and Assembly. The bill is currently awaiting a decision from Governor George Pataki.
Patrica Lynch did not return repeated phone messages.
Clarence Rappleyea, a 13-year Minority Leader in the Assembly from Chenango County and former Chairman and Chief Executive of the New York Power Authority, is partnered with Lynch in Public Affairs Venture LLC, a joint venture of Rappleyea Public Affairs Group and Patricia Lynch Associates. Rappleyea said he had no involvement in the cancellation of www.evesun.com/topics/news/NYRI/">NYRI and Lynch’s contract.
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