CITY HALL — The City Council aide who was canned after being labeled a “terrorist” has been re-fired — hours after being invited to return to his post.
David Segal, former spokesman to Upper Manhattan City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, was dismissed last week after the New York Post revealed that he had spent six month in federal prison for torching an Army recruitment center in The Bronx.
After questions began to emerge about a possible wrongful dismissal case, Segal was invited to return to work at 9 a.m. Thursday morning, where he was handed his council ID and put back on the job writing releases under a different name, he said.
But at 3:30 p.m., Segal said he was handed a note.
“Dear David,
Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication during your months of service in my office and to our community.
This serves as notice that you services are no longer needed in my office.
Best of luck in all future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Ydanis Rodriguez,” it read.
Segal said he was floored.
“I was like, ‘Are you serious?’” said Segal. “I’ve never been fired before, let alone twice in one week.”
After considering his options, Segal is now planning a press conference on Monday to announce his “next steps.”
He refused to say whether he was planning a lawsuit, but said he'd "been pursuing all avenues."
“If there’s one thing I can say about any of this, it’s that I’m deeply disappointed that this person that I really respect because of his social justice issues isn’t willing to give me a second chance,” he said.
Segal’s rehiring had been panned by some, including Queens City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., chair of the Public Safety Committee.
“Just heard the council re-hired the guy who firebombed a US military facilty and called the NYPD "pigs". [W]hat's next, is MF Global going to re-hire [J]ohn [C]orzine??” he posted on Facebook.
“[T]his guy only apologized to 'those who might not agree with my past'. [U]ntil he begs forgiveness from our soldiers and our cops and renounces violence, he should NOT be getting paid by taxpayers,” he wrote.
Several lawyers, including City Council lawyer Elizabeth Fine, have said that failing to hire someone for a past criminal conviction is a violation of state law.
Rodriguez’s new spokeswoman could not immediately be reach for comment.
