vacco

no lnx

A new lawsuit accuses East Aurora political consultant Michael R. Caputo of serving as a public mouthpiece for indicted Republican politico Roger Stone, who is under a federal gag order barring him from discussing the criminal case against him.

In an unusual courtroom clash of conservative figures, conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi and Freedom Watch founder Larry Klayman sued Caputo and Stone in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia earlier this month, accusing Caputo of defamation.

It's all because of what Caputo had to say on MSNBC last month about special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election. There, Caputo speculated that Corsi will testify against Stoneat his upcoming trial on charges that Stone tried to get and share emails from WikiLeaks that would damage Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign.

"The Mueller team finds himself at the end of the hallway at the end of this entire game and they're staring at Jerry Corsi, who believes the most wild conspiracies in the world," Caputo said on "The Beat with Ari Melber" on March 29. "Dozens of years of Yale law school education and they end at the freak show tent."

But Corsi isn't mad enough to sue just because Caputo called him part of a "freak show." Corsi and Klayman, his lawyer, allege that Stone enlisted Caputo to serve as his media surrogate – in violation of the gag order barring Stone and his associates from speaking out about his case.

In addition to filing a lawsuit, Corso and Klayman delivered a statement to U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who is presiding over Stone's case,to accuse Caputo and Stone of breaking Jackson's order that Stone remain silent and avoid media appearances.

"Stone is employing surrogates, specifically in this instance his longtime associate Michael Caputo, to continue to smear and defame Dr. Corsi and his counsel Larry Klayman, while directly violating this court's February 19 'gag' order," Klayman wrote in the statement.

Caputo referred all questions on the matter to his attorney, Dennis C. Vacco.

"I think it's a publicity stunt more than anything," Vacco said, noting that neither Caputo nor Stone have been served with the court papers Klayman filed. "So from our perspective, the litigation has not commenced."

Asked about the lawsuit's specific allegations – that Caputo acted as Stone's mouthpiece and then slandered Corsi – Vacco said: "From our perspective, the allegations contained in the complaint are are frivolous."

The case seems to be an extension of one that Corsi and Klayman filed against Stone in U.S. District Court in D.C. in February.

According to Corsi's complaint in that case, "even before Defendant Stone was indicted, he began a public relations campaign in this district, nationally and internationally to smear, intimidate and threaten Plaintiff Corsi, a material witness in the 'Russian Collusion' investigation."

The Corsi/Klayman clash with Stone and Caputo marks another unusual chapter in the lives of four men with unusual political careers.

Corsi is best known as the co-author of "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry," a widely criticized book that included questionable allegations about then-Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee. Corsi then went on to play a prominent role in the "birther" movement that inaccurately said then-President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.

Klayman founded Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch, right-wing organizations that filed repeated lawsuits against President Bill Clinton and later Hillary Clinton on issues ranging from the president's alleged affairs to his wife's role in the 2012 terror attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Stone has a tattoo of Richard Nixon on his back and a long-standing close relationship with President Trump.

And Caputo is an East Aurora political consultant and sometimes radio show host with a colorful history that includes a period of time working in Russia during its 1990s experiment with democracy and serving for a time on Donald Trump's 2016 campaign staff. Mueller's investigators interviewed Caputo as part of their probe, which ended without any charges against him.

Mueller report comes as relief to Caputo

Rumors are emerging that former New York State Attorney General Dennis Vacco is likely to be appointed United States Attorney for the Western District of New York, says a source with knowledge of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team. Vacco served as Attorney General from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1998.  

If appointed, he will succeed James P. Kennedy, who has been serving on an interim basis since the abrupt resignation of William C. Hochul, the husband of the Lt. Governor, early last month.

While Attorney General, Vacco brought national attention through a series of prosecutions brought against internet service providers for distributing child pornography; played a prominent role in New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s attempt to require Time Warner Cable to carry the Fox News Channel, threatening anti-trust charges; and argued the landmark assisted suicide case Vacco v. Quill before the United States Supreme Court, successfully defending the state’s ban on the practice, by a 9–0 vote.

[pix Attorney General Dennis Vacco with Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

After leaving office, following a narrow loss to Elliot Spitzer, Vacco joined multinational conglomerate Waste Management as vice president for government affairs. He managed the firm’s government relations in New York, New England, and Canada.

“I joined Waste Management because of the company’s commitment to sound business practices and tobeing a good corporate citizen,” he said at the time.

In April 2006, after a six-month investigation, Vacco was cleared of allegations that he violated lobbying regulations relating to a contingency-fee contract with a Rochester businessman who was looking to build a casino with an Oklahoma tribe. Some alleged that the allegations against Vacco were politically motivated.

Vacco is currently a partner at the Buffalo, New York law firm of Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman, LLP.

The US Attorney is appointed by the President of the United States for a term of four years, with appointments subject to Senate confirmation.  A US Attorney shall continue in office, beyond the appointed term, until a successor is appointed and qualified.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Vacco

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dennis C. Vacco (born August 16, 1952) is an American lawyer and politician. He graduated with a B.A. from Colgate University in 1974, a J.D. from the University at Buffalo Law School in 1978, and was admitted to the New York State bar in 1979.He is to date the last Republican to serve as New York Attorney General.

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Background

Vacco was born in Buffalo, New York, and was raised in the western region of upstate New York.

Political career

As Erie County Assistant District Attorney

Vacco was an Assistant District Attorney of Erie County, New York from 1978 to 1988, and United States Attorney for the Western District of New York from 1988 until the beginning of the Clinton administration in 1993.

As Attorney General of New York

Vacco was the Attorney General of New York from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1998.

1994 election

In 1994, Vacco defeated Karen Burstein, the Democratic nominee. One week before the election, Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari announced that Burstein was not qualified to serve as attorney general because she was a lesbian. The combination of Molinari's remarks, a strong national Republican showing, and the win of George Pataki in the governor's race, led to Vacco narrowly defeating Burstein.^[1] The New York Times called Molinari's remarks, "gutter politics."^[2]

Selected cases

Vacco brought national attention through a series of prosecutions brought against internet service providers, including Dreamscape Online, for distributing child pornography. The principal defendant, Buffnet, eventually pleaded guilty to a charge of fourth degree facilitation of a felony and was fined $5,000.^[3]

Vacco played a prominent role in New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's attempt to require Time Warner Cable to carry the Fox News Channel. An attempt by Vacco to bring an anti-trust violation charge against Time-Warner failed.

As attorney general, Vacco also argued the landmark assisted suicide case Vacco v. Quill before the United States Supreme Court. He successfully defended the state's ban on the practice, winning the case by a 9–0 vote.

1998 Election

In 1998, Vacco was defeated in his bid for re-election by Democrat Eliot Spitzer, by a margin of approximately 0.6% of the votes cast.^[4] He was the first attorney general in New York since 1925 to not be re-elected to a second term.

Electoral history

New York Attorney General election, 1998| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |

Vacco's electoral history has been tracked, online, at Our Campaigns, and it has been reflected here.^[4]

• Vacco also ran on the Conservative Party of New York ticket in this election.^[4]

New York Attorney General election, 1994| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |

• Nancy Rosenstock also received 13,416 votes (0.29%) for the Socialist Workers Party in this election.^[4]
• Vacco also ran on both the Conservative Party of New York and Tax Cut Now tickets in this election.^[4]

Post-political career

Less than two months after he concluded an antitrust settlement with Waste Management, Inc., a waste disposal conglomerate, as one of his last acts before leaving his position as attorney general,Vacco joined Waste Management as a senior lobbyist and vice president for government affairsfor their operations in New York, New England, and Canada. In response to questions about the settlement and the job offer, Vacco said: "Any interpretation or suggestion that this settlement - which included the United States Department of Justice - was connected to my employment by Waste Management - is preposterous and false."^[5]

As a lobbyist in New York State, Vacco was identified as having made inconsistencies in required filings.^[6][7] In April 2006, after a six-month investigation, Vacco was cleared of allegations that he violated lobbying regulations. The investigation "centered on whether Vacco’s firm had an illegal contingency-fee contract with a Rochester businessman in exchange for helping him win a casino deal with an Oklahoma tribe." In October 2005, Vacco’s lobbying firm agreed to pay the state $50,000 in connection with the questionable contract, but it was not required to admit wrongdoing."^[8]

Vacco is currently a partner in the Buffalo, New York law firm of Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman, LLP.^[9][10]

In 2017, Vacco unsuccessful defended controversial Buffalo School Board member, Carl Paladino after his employment was terminated for misuse of confidential information and making what many called racist comments about former president Barack Obama during a magazine interview. After a hearing before the New York State education committee, it was determined that the Buffalo School Board had the right to terminate Carl Paladino’s employment, no further legal action was taken by either parties involved.

References

1. ^ Quindlen, Anna. "One Candidate's Lifestyle Becomes Other's Ax to Grind". Chicago Tribune. New York Times News Service. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
2. ^ Opinion (October 12, 1994). "Guy Molinari, From the Gutter". The New York Times. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
3. ^ ISP guilty in child porn case, Wired.com, New York, N.Y.: Conde Nast, 16 February 2001, Sheeres, J., Retrieved 11 November 2013
4. ^ :{Jump up to::(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^a ^b(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Vacco#cite_ref-Campaigns_4-1) ^c(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Vacco#cite_ref-Campaigns_4-2) ^d(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Vacco#cite_ref-Campaigns_4-3) ^e(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Vacco#cite_ref-Campaigns_4-4) Vacco, Dennis, Our Campaigns, 1998 & 1994, Retrieved 8 January 2014.
5. ^ Levy, Clifford (February 19, 1999). "Vacco to Start Private Life As Lobbyist For a Hauler". The New York Times. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
6. ^ "Collins adds 10 to transition team". Buffalo News\Berkshire Hathaway (Buffalo, N.Y.). November 21, 2007. Missing or empty |url= (help)
7. ^ "Collins adds 10 to transition team". McClatchy - Tribune Business News (Washington, D.C.). November 21, 2007. Missing or empty |url= (help)
8. ^ Cornell Smith, Kati. "Mob Boss' Son Boasted of 'Hook' in Albany". New York Post. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
9. ^ Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman, LLP: Business Experience: Dennis Vacco, Lippes.com, Buffalo, N.Y., Retrieved 11 November 2013
10. ^ Watchdog report: Vacco's work on LDCs costs $167k, Democrat and Chronicle.com, Buffalo, N.Y.: Gannett, 8 November 2013, Riley, D., Retrieved 11 November 2013

External links

• Profile at Lawyers.com

Categories: 

• 1952 births
• Living people
• United States Attorneys for the Western District of New York
• New York State Attorneys General
• New York (state) Republicans
• Politicians from Buffalo, New York
• Colgate University alumni
• University at Buffalo Law School alumni
• Lawyers from Buffalo, New York