Vinsko and His Bill Troubles

In this Go Lackawanna article by Andrew Seder he highlights an unpaid school loan for Bill Vinsko who is making an attempt to garner the 11th Congressional District Democratic nod.

An outstanding student loan through Sallie Mae, incurred in 2000, is also listed totaling between $15,001 and $50,000.

Given Vinsko's wealth listed on his financial statement one has to wonder why he didn't pay off his student loan before amassing properties at the shore.

He also listed income through a rental property he owns in Brant Beach, N.J. He collected between $15,001 and $50,000 on the property last year. Three separate mortgages were taken out for that property. One through Hudson City Savings Bank was for between $250,001 and $500,000. Two others, through the Wilkes-Barre City Federal Credit Union, were each valued between $50,001 and $100,000.

Looking at the Property Database over at the Times Leader Bill Vinsko and his wife Paula own a property at Reliance Drive valued at $379,600.00 purchased in November, 2001.

According to state records Keystone Professional Pharmacy was started in April, 1999.

Further property search records reveal a tangle of tranactions concerning V Prop LLC.  V Prop appears to own the building for the address listed as Keystone Professional Pharmacy.  However it also owns the building where Judge William Amesbury kept his practice, 253 South Franklin Street, Wilkes Barre, PA.  It is no secret that Amesbury is not a fan of Lou Barletta.  Over at Pittston Politics Joe Valenti makes this observation.

You see, Bill Amesbury was in Vinsko’s law office from 2003 until he won a spot on the bench. And, I’m sure Vinsko was quite supportive of Amesbury’s run for judge.
Now it’s time to return the favor.

While a District Justice is not allowed to participate in any partisan politics and you’ll never see them at a political rally, the District Justice network is a tight organization that takes care of their own.

What is the point of all this property.?  Well Mr. Vinsko lists his income on his financial statement as follows.

Vinsko, according to his 2011 financial statement, earned more money working as the Wilkes-Barre city attorney than he did from the private practice he owns with his brother Brian. He reported $46,841 in earnings from the city and $35,000 in earnings from Vinsko & Associates P.C. He also listed salaries from Riverfront Abstract Co., $4,560, and VPharm Inc., $11,769. He has a 50 percent ownership stake in the abstract company located at 318 S Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre, and serves as president of VPharm, a local pharmacy that serves nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.

He should give lessons on how to amass such wealth in properties on such little income.  But let's forget that for a moment and look to New Jersey to see if Vinsko pays his bills.

According to this 2007 filing by the Supreme Court of New Jersey

the Trustees of the New Jersey Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection (Fund) have reported to the Supreme Court the names of those attorneys who have neither made full payment to the Fund, the Disciplinary Oversight Committee, and the Lawyers Assistance Program for

the calendar year 2007, nor demonstrated that they are entitled to an exemption from making such
payment;

And the Court having had the Trustees send notice to each such attorney that unless all reporting and financial obligations were fully satisfied on or before August 24, 2007, his or her name would be published in the

New Jersey Law Journal and the New Jersey Lawyer together with an Order of the Court declaring him or her ineligible to practice law;

VINSKO BRIAN MARTIN 2005 50 MERCEDES DR WILKES-BARRE PA 18702

VINSKO WILLIAM E JR 2002 253 S FRANKLIN ST WILKES BARRE PA 18701

There are two more filings for 2008 and 2009.  As a result of his failure to pay into the fund for 2009 his license to practice in the state of New Jersey was administratively revoked by Supreme Court Order as linked on September 28,2009.

And this guy thinks he is a serious contender for a Congressional seat??  Uhhh.....okay.

Vinsko Never Was A Real Contender

Last year my friend Gort reported on an email he received from Bill Vinsko's camp regarding his campaign fundraising efforts for the third quarter.  Even the D-triple C (DCCC) weighed in on the results, giggling with glee.   The headline read "DCCC, media tout Bill Vinsko among nation’s top challengers".  How another quarter can make a difference.

The headline today in the Times Leader.
3 local incumbent congressmen in fine fiscal shape entering campaign

Incumbents in the 10th, 11th and 17th U.S. congressional districts have plenty of cash on hand to mount re-election bids entering this year, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Tuesday was the deadline for year-end reports to be sent to the commission.
The campaign for freshman U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, reported $269,498 in the bank at year’s end. His campaign raised $146,978 in the fourth quarter and spent $101,803. The campaign also reported an outstanding debt of $85,102. Of that, $72,500 was in personal loans Barletta made to his campaign.

“Rep. Barletta’s campaign posted another successful fundraising quarter,” said campaign manager Lance Stange Jr. “Lou’s grassroots organization and financial support will allow him to start 2012 in a very strong position.”Of the two Democrats looking to unseat Barletta in the 11th District, only one had a functioning campaign last year and was required to file an end-of-year report showing campaign finances.

Wilkes-Barre attorney William Vinsko, who lives in the 17th District but is seeking the 11th District office, reported raising $20,574 and spending $34,580 so far. He started the year with $52,786 on hand.Vinsko said the first few months of fundraising have been successful but added that it “will really get into gear this quarter.”

$20,574.00???????? Joe Valenti of Pittston Politics tries to keep Vinsko alive with this post about a $10,000.00 donation from the I.B.E.W.

Valenti pens these comments.  For those of you who think that a union just doles out $10,000 checks because they can, think again.
Unions are well organized and have a huge organization from the bottom to the top. You can book it that this particular union took a poll in Barletta’s new district and sees that Vinsko is within striking distance.

Considering this, it’ll be full steam ahead for Team Vinsko.

Wow..now Vinsko's at $30,574.00..Joe...really....that is full steam ahead???
On January 23rd the DCCC issued their Top 36 Red to Blue races in the country, not their top 10 but their top 36. 

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s 36 Red to Blue races announced last week have already made quite a splash.

Guess who isn't on the list for targeting....drumroll.... Lou Barletta.  And guess who isn't getting DCCC backing...drumroll...Bill Vinsko.

Getting onto Vinsko's federal campaign filings one needs to look at his campaign expdenditures.

James McNulty- Consulting =$7, 500.00
Snyder Pickerall Group- Consulting- $5152.35
Kyle Donahue Kyle Donahue- Consulting Services- $1000,00.00
Hampton Inn- DC Meetings- $810.66
Pierantoni For Judge Committee- $350.00
The Mellinger Group- Fundraising Consultants-$3,500.00
Waldorf Astoria Hotel-Room Fee (Staff) PA Dinner - $907.97
Westmoreland Club-Fundraiser - Hoegan - $4645.45
Wyoming Valley Country Club- Fundraising Reception- $6362.56

No wonder he makes a great Democratic candidate.  He knows how to spend the money foolishly.  Someone should tell him he needs to bring at least $1 million dollars to the "race" party or stay home.

Oh..one more thing...Can somebody help Vinsko explain to the FEC why he needs those darn consultants. 

Federal Election Inquiry

This letter is prompted by the Commission's preliminary review of the report(s)referenced above. This notice requests information essential to full public disclosure of your federal election campaign finances. Failure to adequately respond by the response date noted above could result in an audit or enforcement action.
Additional information is needed for the following 2 item(s):

1. Schedule B supporting Line 17 of your report discloses reimbursements to individuals for expenses other than travel and subsistence. Please be advised that when itemizing reimbursements to individuals for goods or services, if the payment to the original vendor aggregates in excess of $200 in an election cycle, a memo entry including the name and address of the original vendor, as well as the date, amount and purpose of the original purchase must be provided. Please amend your report to include the missing information or provide clarifying information if memo items are not required. (11 CFR §§ 104.3(b)(4)(i) and 104.9, and Advisory Opinions 1992-1 and 1996-20)

2. Itemized disbursements must include a brief statement or description of why each disbursement was made. Please amend Schedule B supporting Line 17 of your report to clarify the following: "Consulting Fee", "Consulting Fee: James McNulty and "Consulting Fee: James B. McNulty". For further guidance regarding acceptable purposes of disbursement, please refer to 11 CFR 104.3(b)(4)(i)(A).

BTW lets get back to Joe Valenti over at Pittston Politics.  Back in July Valenti opined in this blog post that this is the way Vinsko will make it to Washington.

There is one machine, however, that is still in place which is well oiled and runs like clock work - the District Justice network.

Just take a look at the last two county judicial races. Bill Amesbury and Freddy Pierantoni won double nominations and both were top vote getters.

The one common denominator, both were a District Justice.

So, you’re probably asking yourself what the heck does this have to do with Bill Vinsko’s run for congress?

A lot!

You see, Bill Amesbury was in Vinsko’s law office from 2003 until he won a spot on the bench. And, I’m sure Vinsko was quite supportive of Amesbury’s run for judge.
Now it’s time to return the favor.

So while you’ll see Lou Barletta spend millions to retain his seat or Paul Kanjorksi dip into his war chest to regain his seat, Bill Vinsko’s secret weapon is the District Justices which span far and wide touching every square mile through out the district – something money can’t buy.

That is a off the path assessment about how Vinsko will win this race because obviously it won't be with money.

Did anybody see the Titanic or the Costa Concordia???

Is Bill Vinsko Telling The Truth?

In this segment of "You Be The Judge" Bill Vinsko tells the public that his campaign money came from individuals, not PAC money like other candidates.



How does he explain this picture?

I guess every profession has one.

How To Try To Influence Votes And Make Friends

From Bill Vinsko For Congress website:

I am very proud to receive such great support from I.B.E.W. and its outstanding membership. Their workers exemplify the hard-working Americans and Pennsylvanians that I will represent when elected to Congress. They need jobs, the 11th District needs jobs, Pennsylvania needs jobs and America needs jobs. It’s time to ensure that the middle class is protected and that we put America back to work. With the help of IBEW and other great organizations, it can still be done. I want to publicly thank I.B.E.W. and Mike Kwashnik for their faith in my candidacy.

Bill, why don't you ask your Democratic friends in the Senate why they haven't passed any of the 27 jobs bills sitting before them?

On November 18, 2011 Gort published Vinsko's response to Congressman Lou Barletta's fundraising efforts.  Here is one particular statement from Vinsko.

The people of the 11th Congressional District need a congressman who is ready to lead and not to follow; someone who is truly an independent thinker, guided by principle and not party doctrine.

If that check isn't party doctrine then nothing is.

Joe Valenti in Pittston Politics basically makes the case that the magisterial arm of the Pennsylvania Court System is a "quasi political machine" where Vinsko has deep roots.

You see, Bill Amesbury was in Vinsko’s law office from 2003 until he won a spot on the bench. And, I’m sure Vinsko was quite supportive of Amesbury’s run for judge.
Now it’s time to return the favor.
  
While a District Justice is not allowed to participate in any partisan politics and you’ll never see them at a political rally, the District Justice network is a tight organization that takes care of their own.

And, the only one running for congress that truly has only one degree of separation with that network is Bill Vinsko.

And, no one politician, political organization and or machine can personally touch the vast area of the congressional district with one exception, the District Justice network.

Who said corruption left the Luzerne County Court System?  Maybe it just changed its face with Vinsko being their rally cry.

Vinsko The Country Cluber- Insensitive During This Crisis

If Congressman Lou Barletta put out a press release like this one the local media would be all over him. Pundits local and afar would be chastizing him for insensitivity in this time of such devastation and destruction to homes and lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania.   He would be called a rich country cluber.

The Citizen's Voice announced on the VINSKO COCKTAIL PARTY.

The Bill Vinsko for Congress Committee will host a cocktail party from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Wyoming Valley Country Club, Hanover Township. Tickets are $125 per person. For information and tickets, call (well you didn't think I would really publish the number did you?).

Nice timing Attorney Vinsko. While he is enjoying the caviar and martinis at the Club people a few miles away have no heat, electricity, water, or sewer.  Kanjorski built a campaign around Frank Harrison's junket while the giardiasis crisis hit the region.  Look's like Tropical Storm Lee may show Vinsko what happened to General Lee in Gettysburg.







BTW Mr. Vinsko, this one is on me.  Why don't you have the mandatory federal disclaimer notice at the end of this political ad?  One would think an attorney would be up on federal laws concerning campaign notices but then again anyone who is part of Tom Leighton's machine seems to be able to skirt those laws.