Politics on the Hudson

An attorney for former State Police commander Daniel Wiese has filed a series of Freedom of Information requests with the state Power Authority after he was fired by the agency last month.

The four FOIL requests sought by Wiese’s White Plains’ attorney Kevin Kitson seeks human resources, retaliation and whistleblower policy manuals, as well as email communications among 13 staffers at the Power Authority.

Here’s the letters.

“We strongly believe that Dan Wiese was knowingly fired in violation of several of NYPA’s own human resources policies. Once NYPA provides us with our requested documentation we will consider all applicable legal remedies,” Kitson said.

Wiese, 54, of Garrison, Putnam County, is at the center of a probe by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo into whether there was a plot by State Police to smear political foes of state leaders.

Wiese had close ties to former Govs. George Pataki and Eliot Spitzer, and said he had served as an unpaid security advisor to the administrations since his retirement in 2003 from the State Police.

Wiese was first put on paid leave in April when Cuomo started his probe, then was switched to unpaid leave earlier this month. The Power Authority, where Wiese served as inspector general, fired him the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and offered no explanation for the decision.

Kitson added, “We will be requesting additional documents including Dan’s annual work evaluations. His exemplary record of service at NYPA is well documented in written performance reviews by NYPA senior executives.”

There was no immediate comment from the Power Authority.

Updated: The Power Authority says in a statement  that it will “review the requests made under the State Freedom of Information act and respond in accordance with the law.”

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