On August 8, 2016, City & State New York published “The Staten Island 50,” which featured Pitta & Baione LLP Partner Vincent F. Pitta (position 11) and Senior Advisor James Molinaro (position 7), in addition to Jon Del Giorno of Pitta Bishop & Del Giorno LLC. Senior Advisor Salvatore Cassano is mentioned as well. This list of Staten Island’s most influential people excluded elected officials in order to “spotlight people whose influence and power come from their deep ties to the community and their legacy of work.” City & State commented that Staten Island is unique in that elected officials, businesses, and community leaders “seem to work more collaboratively than other boroughs, focusing on their common goals instead of their differences.” James Molinaro commented on the award to the Staten Island Advance, “I’m very grateful to the people of Staten Island who made this happen by giving me the opportunity to serve them.”
True to our Staten Island roots, Pitta & Baione LLP is committed to raising community awareness about health and compensation benefits available under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. As discussed in our earlier blog post, Staten Island was greatly affected by the attacks on 9/11 in that 275 lives were taken, and countless community members rose to the call of duty in rescue, response, and rehabilitation efforts. Additionally, thousands of community members worked and attended school in Lower Manhattan between 9/11/01 and 5/30/02 where they were unfortunately exposed to toxic dust and debris.
Pitta & Baione LLP represents victims seeking compensation through the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund and helps facilitate the World Trade Center Health Program application process. In general, individuals who were in Lower Manhattan, at the Fresh Kills Landfill, along debris removal routes such as piers and barges, or at garages where maintenance vehicles were cleaned between 9/11/01 and 5/30/02 may be eligible for free healthcare and compensation under the Zadroga Act.
Partner and Staten Island 50 honoree Vincent F. Pitta has made it his life’s mission to ensure that working men and women can earn a living to support their families, are treated fairly, have safe workplaces, and maintain benefits that allow them to retire with dignity. Given his life’s mission, Mr. Pitta began his advocacy on behalf of the 9/11 victims immediately following the terrorist attacks.
In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, then Governor Pataki and then Mayor Giuliani established the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and appointed a board of directors to run its operation. The LMDC was created to help plan and coordinate the rebuilding and revitalization of lower Manhattan south of Houston Street. Mr. Pitta was selected to serve as a member of the LMDC’s Families Advisory Council, which was formed to obtain feedback and input from the families of victims of the World Trade Center attacks, most importantly with regard to the creation of an appropriate memorial to honor the lives of the victims. Mr. Pitta continues to help rehabilitate Lower Manhattan by representing local residents and workers who were exposed to toxins between 9/11/01 and 5/30/02.
In an attempt to secure compensation for the families of the 9/11 victims, Mr. Pitta represented and organized a group of potential plaintiffs in an ongoing litigation known as the Saudi Lawsuit. The lawsuit’s purpose is to hold accountable certain Saudi Arabian individuals, banks, and charities for funding the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The lawsuit has been in the news recently as it pertains to the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which was passed by the U.S. Senate on May 18, 2016 in a unanimous voice vote. If passed, the law would allow the Saudi Lawsuit to proceed.
Senior Advisor and Staten Island 50 honoree James P. Molinaro is the former three-term Borough President of Staten Island and has served in government for over 40 years. During his tenure as Borough President, Mr. Molinaro commissioned the “Postcards” memorial on the St. George Esplanade honoring the 275 Staten Island residents killed in the attacks on September 11th. Mr. Molinaro relies on his extensive government and community outreach experience to help raise awareness about health and compensation benefits available under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.
For more information, contact Pitta & Baione LLP at 844-982-2667 or info@pittabaione.com.
Here are the excerpts from “The Staten Island 50”:
# 7 James Molinaro is well into his 80s, so you might think that his influence and energy is on the decline. You’d be wrong. The energetic son of Italian immigrants has hardly missed a beat since leaving the borough president’s office at the end of 2013. He still wields tremendous influence over Staten Island’s Conservative Party and is a sought-after endorsement for Republicans, and some Democrats. His support helped Michael McMahon in his successful bid for district attorney in 2015, even though Conservative Party voters backed McMahon’s Republican opponent in the primary. Also, Molinaro’s name was floated as a potential candidate for Congress when Rep. Michael Grimm resigned, before he made it clear he had no intention of seeking the seat. When he is not playing politics, he’s using his knowledge and connections to help make Pitta, Bishop Del Giorno & Giblin the borough’s most prominent lobbying firm. He also sits on the board of the Richmond University Medical Center.
# 11 Vincent Pitta and Jon Del Giorno The powerful lobbying firm Pitta Bishop Del Giorno & Giblin has grown rapidly over the past few years, with these two Staten Islanders playing key roles in the company’s rise. The hirings of former Borough President James Molinaro and former New York City Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano, as well as the opening of a new office on Staten Island, have helped solidify the firm’s status. And Vincent Pitta and Jon Del Giorno have helped many in the borough by creating a trusted avenue for business and nonprofit interests to take their case before the city and the state.