Two Years after Leaving Senate, Ball Lives ‘Third Dream’ in Texas
FROM VICTORY CUP WEBSITE
For a man who loved the spotlight and seemed to eat, sleep, and breathe politics and public office, when former New York State Senator Greg Ball stepped aside from office at the end of 2014, it was hard to believe a person cut from that cloth was ready to move on.
But with all that attention, admiration and scorn he almost seemed to enjoy gone, Ball insists he’s living his “third dream” out in a small town near Austin, Texas, running a small consulting firm he started from scratch. The spotlight might be gone, but the scrutiny and stress level is, too.
“I always had a dream of serving in the military, I did that. I had a dream of serving in public life, in politics and that was phenomenal,” said Ball, who lived in Patterson. “I’m now being able to live my third dream and be in Texas and building a new life, new career down there while still maintaining relationships up here.”
Ball is back in town this week, one of his two yearly trips to New York and Lower Hudson Valley, for his annual Victory Cup Polo Match this Saturday. Ball served in the State Assembly for two terms and then in the State Senate for another two terms.
While in office, the Republican’s reputation, good or bad, was certainly one of a kind. Brash and bombastic, Ball was known to pull out extremes for publicity and beat any political opponent in his way.
But for all the antics and attacks on opponents, Ball said his distractors often misunderstood his actions. Ball believes those people confused a (false) love for politics with his cutthroat competitiveness and refusal to lose an election. Once he finished his first campaign, the love of politics subsided, so much so he knew then he wasn’t going to run in a few years, he claims.
“I don’t miss it,” he said. “I really don’t miss any of that.”
Ball said even from afar he continues to see corruption rock the New York State Legislature and locally in Putnam County. Ball, who was despised by many “political insiders,” said he believes his presence on the scene was a check to the system.
Ball still recalls his first speech on the New York State Assembly floor decrying the way the legislative body was run by former Assembly speaker and now convicted-felon Sheldon Silver. He points out he was right about “Shelly Silver” before many realized how corrupt he was.
And in Putnam, Ball said he’s been “nothing short of disappointed” with how county government has continued to operate. Ball said Putnam today is no different than when former state senator and Patterson resident Vincent Leibell essentially ran the county. Instead of one strong man with all the control, Ball believes it’s a small collective group “that run the county for the benefit of their pension, the benefit of their side contracts that benefit family members.”
“There’s a lot beneath the surface that folks get away with that’s unfortunate,” Ball contended.
Ironically, when Ball left public office he was under FBI investigation for campaign finance misuse, though he was never brought up on charges. Ball also had plenty of critics that accused him of unethical behavior, most notably Assemblyman Steve Katz (R/Mohegan Lake).
Now a private citizen, Ball attempts to get other people elected to office across the nation, mostly in Texas and the deep south. His firm, Black Stone Texas, which he runs with his former senate communication director and former Mahopac resident Joe Bachmeier, has clinched two impressive wins for statewide seats.
Taking lessons from his own campaigns in New York, Ball helped an Ace Hardware dealer, Republican Kyle Biedermann, beat a longtime representative with 55 percent of the vote in a primary for the Texas statehouse. Biedermann and his campaign were even outspent 6 to 1, according to a Black Stone news release. Louisiana state lawmaker Steve Carter also won reelection in a Republican primary last year with the help of Black Stone.
Ball said the company has a “sweet spot” for getting Conservative Republicans elected into office. Another test will be Mahopac resident Suzi McDonough’s run for the 94th Assembly seat in hopes of replacing Katz, who isn’t running again.
“It’s great to get good people elected and let them be in the limelight and help them through tough races,” Ball said.
On top of working the political angle, Ball and company also offer marketing and technology to businesses and various clients, calling it diversified. Taking another shot at the political powerful in New York, Ball jokes he caused too much disruption when in office to get a cushy lobbying job or no-show position once he left.
But with all his criticism of New York, Ball won’t rule out ever returning to the place he grew up and made a name for himself, just like he won’t rule out ever running for public office again.
“I’ve learned in life never say never,” Ball said. “You make plans, and God laughs.”
