A Richard Brodsky story, in honor of his passing, from 2009.

For many years Brodsky railed against public authorities as unaccountable “Soviet-style bureaucracies.” In his penultimate year in the #nyassembly, he finally pushed through agreement on a bill requiring more oversight

I was about a year in to covering the Capitol, and I worked for the NY Observer. He walked into the press room and began with his usual bombast complaining how we hadn’t covered the story properly or given him proper due for his role.

I placated, then started taking notes.

At the end of our interview, I said, “hold on — it’s a blog. I need a picture.” I reached for a camera, and he stood, glaring.

I asked him if it would kill him to smile, and again, he glared.

So I summoned the move “Hook,” and told him to think a happy thought that would make him fly.

He paused, then smirked, then grinned.

“FUCK Bloomberg,” he said.

https://observer.com/2009/11/agreement-reached-on-authorities-reform/

It took a while more for the bill to actually get passed. The night it did, I went out to dinner with Brodsky, @CTLizB and former Assemblyman Matt Titone (now a judge on SI) at Justin’s.

Brodsky was not known for gratuitous warmth among colleagues. We were his victory cohort.

At the end of the meal, after a bottle of red wine, he sat down at the piano and started playing.

We gathered around, but struggled to come up with a song that he could play and we could sing.

We finally settled on “Amazing Grace.”

RIP, Richard. Thanks for everything.