OC Leg blackmail

[rodwilson]

Very interesting. And my wife wonders why I find this more interesting than TV. I'll be really curious to see where this goes. And this is a Republican calling out another correct?

Oneida County legislator elect William Hendericks is calling for Board Chairman Jerry Fiorini to resign. In a letter to the chairman, Hendericks calls attention to an alleged extra marital affair between Fiorini and Donna Vitagliano, executive director of the Insight House. Hendericks says because of the affair, Fiorini 'pushed through' the renewal of Insight House's $1 lease the county.

Furthermore, Hendericks says in attempt to cover-up the situation, Firioni allegedly offered legislator Larry Tarnoury, Jr, $35,000 in taxpayer funding for his district to keep him quiet. "Alot of my constituents just do not realize what happens beind the scenes--ya know, it's just outrageous," Hendericks told WIBX.

wibx950.com/LocalNewsHeadlines/tabid/11470/newsid13176/34274/mid/13176/Default.aspx

[tanouryjr]

This is the most disgusting move I've ever seen. This was a power play by a disbarred attorney, Bob Barry, who is Hendricks' campaign manager and close friends with the Julians. They want to try using me to take on Fiorini. Problem is, it is 100% false because I had nothing to do with the legislation. I was actually mad when I found out they were giving them $30,000 because we can't afford it. This came from the County Executive, NOT Fiorini. They simply wanted to attack a man's family and used me to do it. I never asked Fiorini or Picente to propose this.

Look, I'm likely the most hated legislator by other legislators and even all 29 legislators AND Tony Picente agree with me on this. Picente even said that I had nothing to do with this. We are asking the DA to look into this and possibly file charges for a conspiracy by Bob Barry, Hendricks and the rest. They are simply mad that even with all their dirty moves on election day, they are still likely going to lose when the 66 absentee ballots are counted.

[bobbbiez]

Larry, I don't believe most of what I read concerning our politicians but I do want to state if, "charges are filed against Bob Barry, Hendricks and the rest," it better not cost us taxpayers any money to sort out this crap!

[Clipper]

Heck Sunshine. If there are charges filed with the district attorney, there will be a cost to the taxpayers, but it will not be Larry's fault, nor that of the County Exec.

I can't believe that even a scum sucking bottom feeder like Hendricks and his DISBARRED lawyer campaign manager would even stoop so low as to make such allegations.

Did Fiorini have an affair with Donna Vitigliano? Who knows. I would not be surprised to find that to be true. Did Larry have any involvement in the awarding of the $30,000 or any part in any blackmail scheme? HELL NO!

Hendricks can only bring up Larry Sr's past as an offensive to battle the good deeds and dedicated service to the district by Larry Jr.

Hang in there Larry. This is going to be a real shitstorm now that Hendricks has drawn Picente and Fiorini into the fray, and made allegations of wrongdoing with the Insight House deal. I have to think that Hendricks has bitten off more than he can chew, and if true, some of the allegations against Fiorini and the Vitiglianos could be justification for some serious convictions

Don't let the slams on your Dad's past get ya down. Even with his errors in judgment and his indescretions, he is a great guy and was a true crusader for the little guy in the city of Utica. Nobody loved the city any more than Larry Tanoury Sr. When all is said and done, your dad's legacy will be his service and dedication to making Utica a better place to live, for you and all of our children. You can stand tall and proud while carrying out his legendary battle against corruption, nepotism, and graft in the city of Utica, and Oneida County.

I am sure he is proud of you, and I am proud to call you my friend. You will be vindicated of any wrong doing, and the pond scum that makes the allegations will be proven to be the loser that he is. Hang in there Larry. I can't wait to see how this plays out. Keep me posted by email as it moves along.

[bobbbiez]

Damn Clipper, I don't give a shit who is screwing who. The $30,000 was voted in by many whether the County could afford it or not it and is done and over with, so why all this other shit now?

If anyone wants to sue for what was said about them, then let them hire their own attorney and sue as a private individual and in a Civil Court where it's no cost to the taxpayer. Especially if they honestly want to save the taxpayer more unnecessary spending.

[Clipper]

Gotta think that if Fiorini was screwing Vitigliano and managed to ram through that $1 lease deal, he should be prosecuted, as should the Vitigliano's. If the allegations are true, the county is going to be on the hook for more than just the legal fees to defend the case. Some county heads will be headed for the chopping block.

However the Insight House allegations turn out, the allegations that Larry Jr was involved in a blackmail plot seem ridiculous and unfounded, and will result in a lawsuit all it's own for slander or whatever. That suit will most likely be paid for in the long run by Hendricks when he loses the case.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out If the insight house deal was a product of favoritism because of Fiorini's interest in Vitigliano, then YOU are the one that was ultimately being screwed in the long run and you SHOULD care who is screwing who.

[countrygal]

I'm pretty sure Mr. Fiorini abstained from voting on anything that had to do with Insight House. He wasn't the one that pushed that through. It all seems like sour grapes to me.

[bobbbiez]

Clipper, come on...we all know that takes place in politics all the time. The allegations of mis-funding because someone was screwing someone else would be rather hard to prove because most likely would be classified as heresy and not allowed in testimony.

As far as Larry is concerned and the slander against him should be handled in a Civil Court at their own cost, not the taxpayer.

As far as us getting screwed, you tell me of one politician who eventually doesn't do that to the taxpayer in one form or the other.

[Ralph]

First of all let’s remember that Larry hasn’t lost the election yet; furthermore it is quite possible that he will prevail as the candidate of choice in the end. Even so, he is still the Districts Legislator until another is sworn in.

Personally…..I think there is more to this election than meets the eye and hope that if the results land Mr. Hendricks back in office that Larry challenges the legality of some of the votes that put him there.

Betty and I ran into Larry at our polling place when we were going to vote and spoke about some of the people that seemed to be pulled into the polling place by Hendricks, some seemed to Larry to be quite questionable. No sooner had he mentioned this than who should appear with a voter in tow but Mr. Hendricks. The “voter” in tow, in my opinion anyways, would have voted for Caligula if he had been offered a quart of Olde English and a couple smokes. He looked about as far “out of it” as one could get and still walk, wearing an old sweatshirt that for all purposes looked like he had spent the better part of the day drooling on it.

I don’t often go out on a limb to defend anyone, but I have known Larry for quite some time now and this type of performance is not only as far from his “norm” as I can see, but one of the very things that drove Larry into the political arena here…..to stop this kind of BS. And along the way his actions to change the way it is have gotten him into nothing but “trouble”, usually through no fault of his own other than his dislike for bullshit conspiracy cover-ups and backroom double dealing.

Personal issues aside, Clipper is right. Larry Sr. was one of, if not the best Councilperson that this district ever had. He fought tirelessly for his constituents regardless of the price he would ultimately pay. During my campaign I heard nothing but praise for his service to the City of Utica.

And during this City / County campaign we heard from absolutely NO ONE but Larry. I do not consider automated phone calls a personal touch of any kind, and other than a flier from Hendricks stuffed in my door the ONLY person I heard from was Larry.

On election day, the only call of any kind I received was from a real live person, and it was a person asking if I would consider voting for Larry again. Since I work late I was still in bed and my wife had answered the phone and told me who it was and what it was for……

……I told her to tell Larry Sr. that he knew damn well who I was going to vote for.

From all the way in sunny Florida he took the time to call and ask folks to vote for his Son, for one of the few “politicians” I feel I can actually trust. And the best part of all was when we got to the polls……Larry Jr. never even knew what his Dad was doing. Son or not, that is faith and dedication in who you believe can do the best job.

I really think that when all the pieces finally fall into place that this will prove the final nail in the coffin of someone’s political life………..and that someone won’t be Larry Tanoury.

[corner]

very interesting it seems Donna Vitagliano might have something to say ab out the issue as well but her reputation as a oportunistic screwer precedes her as wellas her inability to remain faithful to any one person ask Sebastion Convertino how that worked for him.....the whole Insight house deal sounds like rounding out a number for 3 more years to an already in place sweet heart deal from the time the program was attached to the county as an agency.

[Clipper]

Excellent post Ralph. Larry Jr is a great kid with a big heart, filled with compassion and caring for others. The idea of Larry Sr. making calls from Florida doesn't surprise me at all. He must be very proud of Jr's accomplishments and of his desire to carry on the family legacy of caring for those that are many times neglected and ignored in decisions that affect their way of life.

Countrygal, I know that you know Mr Fiorini. I am not saying that the allegations are true. I am saying that the allegations sure need to be investigated. I have had my suspicions about the Insight House deal ever since it first surfaced in the media. IF Fiorini is involved with Vitigliano romantically, that seriously muddies the waters, whether he abstained from the voting or not.

I am one of those that smelled dead fish when the Ole Petterson allegations came to light. I still think that there was a conspiracy on the part of Insight House, and at the county level that cooked up the allegations and railroaded that dedicated man into jail. Ole was in the addiction recovery "business" because he is a compassionate and caring man, with a heart as big as all outdoors.

If the rumors and allegations of wrong doing by the county and Insight House management are true, it is disgusting how many sick and addicted people are being hurt by the elimination of the services provided by Ole's people. If he was railroaded by those in positions of power at the county level, THAT is really a sad testament to the quality of politics in the area.

As far as blackmail by Larry Jr. That is so ridiculous as to be comical. If the roles were reversed and it were Hendricks being accused of blackmail, I might subscribe to that theory.

It is strictly my own opinion, but I think that the whole county board of legislators and county government in general has become such a bubbling cauldron of nepotism and patronage, that one needs a program to keep up with the players and who is backing who or screwing who. Larry Jr is the one of the only ones on the board that makes his agenda clear and sticks to it, without lying or cheating, or trading backroom favors.

Larry is one of the only ones that I have heard speak out against the corruption and wrongdoing, without regard for ramifications that it could have for him personally. Given another term of office, Larry Jr will have a good head start on rooting out some of the questionable stuff that has gone on for decades in Oneida County politics.

Watching CNY politics from here in Tennessee is getting to be like watching an ongoing and boring episode of the Sopranos, without the violent scenes. Thank goodness most of the violence in politics ended back in the 50's and 60's.

[corner]

im thinking Hendricks started this out of fear of losing the election with the opening of absentee ballots,, i was with Larry for a short while on election day at the parkway and the stream of derelicts coming in to vote was interesting the Colt .45 must have been flowing that day!

[fiona]

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Paul Vitagliano, Donn'a husband, pass away some years ago and if so, is she remarried? I came up from Florida in 1994 and I think he passed shortly thereafter.

[corner]

paul did die of cancer she didnt remarry that im aware of but she has a propensity for older men with money

[wcup102]

If I am not mistaken, wasn't that Insight House deal suppose to draw grant money or some other kind of funding that was only possible with a long term commitment on a lease? If so,

SHOW ME THE MONEY MR. FIORINI AND MR. PICENTE!!!!!!!