Where's The Endorsement? Inzerillo Supporters Want To Know

Councilman McCarthy, Councilwoman Nowick, NYS Assemblyman Fitzpatrick, Supervisor Vecchio, SC Legislator Trotta and Republican Town Council candidate Lisa InzerilloStanding outside Town Hall Republicans gathered to endorse and to offer support to Lisa Inzerillo a winner in the September 10th Republican primary. Ms. Inzerillo, received the second most votes in the primary defeating incumbent Councilman Robert Creighton. Ms. Inzerillo is the official Republican candidate for Town Council.  Gathered around Ms. Inzerillo was Supervisor Patrick Vecchio, NYS Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick, Legislator Robert Trotta, Councilman Thomas McCarthy and Councilwoman Lynne Nowick.

Along with the photo-op the message of the press conference was clear, primary election results are valid and reflect the will of the voters. Winners of primary challenges are legitimate and entitled to party backing.

The majority of elected officials attending the press conference had successfully won a Republican primary challenge and everyone who won their primary received the backing of the Republican Committee.  In 2013  incumbent Patrick Vecchio received local party backing after defeating Robert Creighton a John LaValle (Suffolk County Republican Chairman)  favorite.  Lynne Nowick defeated Councilman Kevin Malloy and Legislator Trotta came out of nowhere to win his primary for an open seat. With each victory came a message from Smithtown Republican Chairman Bill Ellis to unite and get behind the candidate.

More than three weeks after her victory Ms. Inzerillo is still waiting for her endorsement from town leader Bill Ellis. 

Supervisor Patrick Vecchio and Lisa InzerilloRepublican insiders suggest Ms. Inzerillo should not hold her breath.  “A civil war” is how one committee person described the current status of the Republican Party.  Another Republican, declining to be named, described a power struggle that has the longest serving Town Supervisor, Patrick Vecchio pitted against a contingency that wants to strip him or at least share some of his control over Smithtown’s zoning, Town Departments, Town planning and the budget. The underlying concern for some Republicans is a sense that the battle is being orchestrated by outside forces namely John J. LaValle. Mr. Creighton was a registered Conservative who changed party affiliation to Republican specifically to primary Supervisor Vecchio in 2013.  Amongst those who supported Creighton even after Vecchio won the primary were Conservative Party member Smithtown Town Clerk Vincent Puleo and Republican County Chairman Mr. John LaValle. 

Chairman Ellis was reluctant to endorse Inzerillo on September 10 when she won the vote count. In a phone conversation with Smithtown Matters he said he would wait until the absentee ballots were counted and suggested that there were some improprieties in the signatures on her petitions.  According to sources at the BOE there have been no challanges and no investigation into the Inzerillo petitions. So where is the endorsement Inzerillo backers want to know?

Councilwoman Lynne Nowick and Lisa InzerilloLast week Mr. Ellis was fired from his position on the Suffolk County Board of Elections (BOE) by Suffolk County Chairman John J. LaValle. As county leader, Mr. LaValle has the authority to hire and fire Republican BOE employees. There has not been any explanation as to why Mr. Ellis was fired. Mr. Ellis remains the Chaiperson for the Smithtown Republican Committee.

There are some who believe that Mr. Ellis was about to recognize Ms. Inzerillo as the official Town Council candidate before he was fired from the BOE. Mr. Ellis, as leader of Smithtown Republicans, still has the responsibility for getting Republicans elected. For now the only thing coming from Bill Ellis is silence. Will he come out and endorse Inzerillo? Many Republican committee people suggest that Inzerillo not hold her breath waiting.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2015.

Comments

[EPG]

Inzerillo has my vote - Smithtown's elected officials need to be refreshed in a serious way, the current (pre-existing) crop have worn out their welcome.

[Smithtown Independent]

This past Monday night at the League of Women's Town Council Debate,
Smithtown Democratic Chairman Ed Maher was on hand to support his
candidate, Larry Vetter [who according to everyone in attendance Democrat
and Republican alike - clearly won the debate].

Where was Mr. Ellis? Shouldn't he have been there to lend his support
to his two candidates - Lisa Inzerillo and Ed Wehrheim?

[Citizen and Lifelong Resident]

I am not in a position to address why Ms. Inzerillo has not received her party endorsements. However, I would like to share what another “citizen and (lifelong) resident” has observed and learned. I first saw Ms. Inzerillo speak before the Town Board several years ago. After the meeting she gave her phone number out to those who wished to have further discussions with her about the situation in her neighborhood. Two phone calls, two messages, and no return call. I am sure that the calls she received were numerous and she had to prioritize. But, will she be equally unresponsive if elected?

Last week, I attended the debate in the hope of learning more about each of the candidates. Ms. Inzerillo’s responses contradicted her promotional materials several times. So, I decided to find out a little more about her. Now, a week later, I have some concerns with some of the “facts.”

Ms. Inzerillo seems to be somewhat confused about her educational background. She repeatedly states that she has two degrees from St. John’s University. Here is a sampling of what I have seen:
• BS in Marketing & Advertising and an Associate Degree in Business Law & Computer Science*
• BS in Marketing & Advertising and an Associate Degree in Business Law*
• Bachelor of Science, Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services and a Minor in Business Law (1982-1986)**
• Bachelor's degree in Law from St. John's College***

Is she unclear about what she earned her degree(s) in? Of even further curiosity is the fact that there is no mention of Ms. Inzerillo in the 1986 yearbook from St. John’s University under any of her names (Lisa Rastelli, Lisa Krukowski nor Lisa Inzerillo)?

While I do not believe that a degree is a requirement for this position, I do feel that it is important that Ms. Inzerillo be accurate when referring to something that does not lend itself to any form of ambiguity.

On the business side, Ms. Inzerillo’s LinkedIn page states that she is the Owner and President of Slacker and Pinky's Baby Gift Store, Location: Greater New York City Area. However, neither she personally, nor Slacker and Pinky's Baby Gift Store, are registered Sales Tax Vendors with the State of New York. Perhaps she files under another name?

She states that she is “eager to be part of the solutions that will bring our MAIN STREETS back to being the BACKBONE of our COMMUNITIES.” Why then is her business located in Georgia and not locally as are 2 other Baby Aspen retailers here on Long Island? So much for promoting “local business development.”

Finally, she states that she will be “fiscally responsible.” Hopefully, time has taught her some valuable financial lessons. Within just the last 10 years she has twice initiated litigation to recoup bad personal investments.

Ms. Inzerillo’s campaign seems to equate her with the term INTEGRITY. Based on my limited knowledge of her, I do not believe that the qualities of being honest and having strong moral principles; or moral uprightness would accurately describe her at this moment in time.

I hope that Ms. Inzerillo uses these final weeks to run a clean and accurate campaign. She needs to be true to herself and those that may vote for her.

Citizen and Lifelong Resident

* Current Political Advertising
** LinkedIn
*** National Association of Professional Women – Lisa Inzerillo

[Smithtown Republican]

Everyone knows Bill Ellis and his committee are completely irrelevant. In Smithtown, you have a much better chance to get elected without being the party pick. It's been proven over and over again. Ms Inzerillo is just the latest example of how easy it is to beat Ellis and his paper committee.