Quick Facts
Biography
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 bar in 1979.
Background
Vacco was born in Buffalo, New York, and was raised in western New York State.
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 New York State Attorney General
Vacco was New York State Attorney General 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. The New York Times called Molinari's remarks, "gutter politics."
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.
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 future New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, by a margin of approximately 0.6% of the votes cast. He was the first attorney general in New York since 1925 to not be re-elected to a second term.
Electoral history
Vacco's electoral history has been tracked, online, at Our Campaigns, and it has been reflected here.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Eliot Spitzer | 2,084,948 | 48.20 | +.82 | |
| Republican | Dennis Vacco (incumbent) | 2,059,762 | 47.62 | -1.66 | |
| Independence | Catherine Abate | 81,439 | 1.88 | +1.07 | |
| Right to Life | Robert W. Dapelo | 60,399 | 1.40 | -.36 | |
| Libertarian | Daniel A. Conti, Jr. | 19,864 | .46 | +.05 | |
| Green | Johann L. Moore | 18,984 | .44 | ||
- Vacco also ran on the Conservative Party of New York ticket in this election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Karen S. Burstein | 2,206,188 | 47.38 | -1.90 | |
| Republican | Dennis Vacco | 2,294,528 | 49.28 | 0 | |
| Independence | Thomas M. Hartman | 37,500 | 0.81 | -48.47 | |
| Right to Life | Alfred I. Skidmore | 85,649 | 1.84 | -47.44 | |
| Libertarian | Dan Conti | 19,202 | 0.41 | -48.86 | |
- Nancy Rosenstock also received 13,416 votes (0.29%) for the Socialist Workers Party in this election.
- Vacco also ran on both the Conservative Party of New York and Tax Cut Now tickets in this election.
- ^
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 affairs for their operations New York, New England, and Canada. The New York Times raised the issue of his joining Waste Management in a "quid-pro-quo" arrangement. When Vacco was asked about the settlement and accepting a job with the same company, he replied that "I joined Waste Management because of the company's commitment to sound business practices and to being a good corporate citizen." In response to questions about the settlement and the job offer, he 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."
As a lobbyist in New York State, Vacco was identified as having made inconsistencies in required filings. 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."
Vacco is currently a partner in the Buffalo, New York law firm, Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman, LLP.