Rodriguez re-fires “terrorist” staffer, hours after hiring him back

It’s been a revolving door-kind-0f-day for Council staffer David Segal.

Hours after being re-hired by Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, Segal was handed a letter from his boss informing him that he had been fired again. Segal was canned by Rodriguez last week after the New York Post revealed that the 26-year-old was arrested seven years ago for attempting to burn down an army recruitment center in the Bronx.

“Dear David, thank you so much for your hard work and dedication during your months of service in our office and to our community,” the letter to Segal reads. “This serves as notice that your services are no longer needed in my office. Best of luck in all future endeavors. Sincerely, Ydanis Rodriguez.”

Segal was handed the letter at 3 p.m. while sitting at his desk in Rodriguez’s legislative office at 250 Broadway. Sources say Rodriguez was “spooked” by a tweet from NY1 political commentator Gerson Borrero deriding the councilman for re-hiring Segal. “THE VOTERS OF THE 10 CD HAVE TO TAKE A 2ND LOOK THEIR CM,” Borrero tweeted at 1:08 p.m. after the Politicker reported that Segal had been rehired.

“Councilman Rodriguez rehired me to his office,” Segal said. “I reported to work at 9 a.m. at 250 Broadway. I worked during the morning doing writing for the office. And a little over five hours after I got there, Councilman Rodriguez fired me yet again.”

Segal said he would make a public statement about the situation next Monday. “It’s about to get interesting,” he said.

Earlier, we reported that Council Speaker Christine Quinn had advised Rodriguez to re-hire Segal, based on state law dictating lawful employment practices. Council lawyer Liz Fine told the Post that it would be a violation to fire anyone based on past incarceration.

Reached for comment, Rodriguez told us that it was within his right to fire any of his staffers as he saw fit.

“Today I gave a letter to Mr. David Segal, where I thanked him for the hard work and dedication during the months that he served in my office and our community,” Rodriguez said. “At the same time I let him know that his service was no longer needed in my office. And I had to as the rights that I have as a Council member to hire or to let anyone of my staff leave.”

Asked if he was concerned about a possible lawsuit, Rodriguez declined further comment.