As someone who took command of the organization in the aftermath of the Riverkeeper bird smuggler controversy, I read with interest the March 6 front page article, “How RFK Jr. Made Riverkeeper His Own.” . (In 2000, I was scouted by Mr. Kennedy and hired by the board, which also included Robert H. Boyle and his faction, to lead Riverkeeper, a position I held for the next 10 years.)
The Post’s reporting on why Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now an independent presidential candidate, pushed to hire a convicted bird smuggler didn’t tell the whole story. Mr. Kennedy’s reason for pushing ahead with the issue was more than falconry bonds and second chances. The controversy was a stand-in for the fight over the future of Riverkeeper. Mr. Kennedy took this as an opportunity to wrest control of the organization from its founder and former leader, Boyle, and labeled Riverkeeper as suffering from “founder syndrome” (a phenomenon that often occurs to people with the vision and talent to found an organization). I saw this as an opportunity to save the day. Not necessarily the best person to lead it once it’s established.
Although this episode left a temporary stain on Riverkeeper’s reputation, in my opinion it was the best thing to happen to the group. Some people interviewed for the article complained that Riverkeeper had become too celebrity and socially minded after Boyle left. But its celebrity and the large amounts of additional funding that came with it created a far more powerful and effective organization.
It was our mission to protect the environment, something Mr. Kennedy cared about. He had no interest in taking over Riverkeeper’s leadership, and never really did. What he actually accomplished was presiding over the changing of the guard that led to Riverkeeper’s best days.
Alex Matthiessen, new york