podesta

[ poh-des-tuh, poh-duh-stah ]

/ poʊˈdɛs tə, ˌpoʊ dəˈstɑ /

any of certain magistrates in Italy, as a chief magistrate in medieval towns and republics.

a person appointed to serve as mayor of an Italian city during the Fascist regime.

Origin of podesta

1540–50; < Italian podestà power < Latin potestās power, command

Podesta warned that opposition to natural gas is impractical and not grounded in reality.

‘Downton Abbey’ Democrats May Cost their Party the Senate |Lloyd Green |March 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Coming from Podesta—who previously headed the George Soros-funded Center for American Progress—them was fighting words.

‘Downton Abbey’ Democrats May Cost their Party the Senate |Lloyd Green |March 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Lobbying Discloure Act records show that Podesta billed the Centre for $510,000 for 2013.

Ukraine’s D.C. Lobbyists in Disarray as Dictator Flees |Eli Lake |February 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
“[John] Podesta was not sure that Obama felt anything, especially in his gut,” Woodward writes.

Woodward: The Juicy Bits |Bryan Curtis |September 22, 2010 |DAILY BEAST

The podesta, the clerk, and the contessa's steward muttered together by the door of the dungeon.

The Saracen: The Holy War |Robert Shea
There was sometimes but one Podesta; sometimes one for each province.

The Rise of the Dutch Republic, Volume I.(of III) 1555-66 |John Lothrop Motley
But even as they talked, across town the podesta's men might be tearing Daoud's body to pieces.

The Saracen: The Holy War |Robert Shea
And, as podesta, my first concern is the welfare of Orvieto.

The Saracen: The Holy War |Robert Shea
Because you, and not the podesta, are the one truly injured.

The Saracen: The Holy War |Robert Shea

podesta

/ (pɒˈdɛstə, Italian podeˈsta) /

(in modern Italy) a subordinate magistrate in some towns

(in Fascist Italy) the chief magistrate of a commune

(in medieval Italy)

C16: from Italian: power, from Latin potestās ability, power, from posse to be able