AG’s Office Scandal: Stankoski and Stout Speak Out
I sat down to speak with Cindy Stankoski and Vanessa Stout today. You can find the story on the nbc4i.com website. Here is a sampling of their comments:
On receiving an apology:
“WE NEVER GOT A DIRECT APOLOGY FROM ANYBODY...I THINK DIRECTLY THAT WE WOULD NEED THE APOLOGY.”
- VANESSA STOUT
On Marc Dann saying his emotional pain is sufficient punishment:
“HE JUST THINKS THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD BE HAPPY WITH HIM JUST GOING FORWARD AND GIVING THE TRUTH ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HER AND I THINK THAT’S COMPLETELY WRONG.”
- VANESSA STOUT
On being invited back to the Attorney General’s townhome for pizza:
“I FELT DEFINITELY TRAPPED...I EVEN TOLD TONY, THAT’S WEIRD AND HE WAS LIKE DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT, YOU’RE WITH THE BIG DOGS.”
- CINDY STANKOSKI
“I DON’T KNOW WHAT KIND OF CRIME YOU’D CALL IT BUT HE DEFINITELY TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE OF ME, HE USED THE POWER THAT WAS HANDED TO HIM, HE VIOLATED ME.”
- CINDY STANKOSKI
“MARC DANN KNEW THE CONDITION I WAS IN AND I’M SURE HE KNEW THE INTENTIONS TONY HAD.”
- CINDY STANKOSKI
On the impact Dann’s actions had on the rest of the office:
“WHEN YOU SEE THE TOP MAN ACTING THE WAY HE ACTED, HAVING RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIS STAFF, INVITING PEOPLE TO HIS HOMES FOR DRINKS AND YOU KNOW HAVING A BACHELOR PAD, WHEN PEOPLE UNDER HIM SEE THAT HE ACTS LIKE THAT THEN THEY’RE GOING THINK IT’S OKAY TOO BECAUSE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF OHIO - HE’S DOING IT, WE CAN DO IT.”
- CINDY STANKOSKI
On the impact the investigation has had on the office:
“IT’S DEFINITELY SLOWED EVERYBODY DOWN. IT’S BEEN KIND OF A BIG DISTRACTION FOR THE WHOLE BUILDING.”
- VANESSA STOUT
On Dann choosing to stay on as Attorney General:
“WHILE (sic) TWO PEOPLE LOSING THEIR JOBS AND TWO OTHERS RESIGNING, IT’S LIKE, HE’S PART OF ALL OF IT. (HE JUST SLAPPED HIMSELF ON THE WRIST.) RIGHT.”
- VANESSA STOUT
“HE SLAPPED HIMSELF ON THE WRIST AND SAID I’VE DONE A GOOD JOB. I’M GOING TO ROLL MY SLEEVES UP AND KEEP ON WORKING. BUT IT’S NOT MY CALL TO SAY WHETHER HE SHOULD GO OR NOT. HE KNOWS DEEP IN HIS HEART WHAT HE SHOULD DO.”
- CINDY STANKOSKI
“IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE HOW HE CAN DO THE REPRIMANDS AND DETERMINE WHETHER THEY NEED TO BE FIRED, BUT HE CAN BE THE BOSS OF HIMSELF.”
- VANESSA STOUT
“IN MY EYES DIDN’T TELL ALL THE TRUTH. SO FOR HIM TO SAY HE’S TAKEN FULL RESPONSIBILITY, I DON’T THINK HE’S TAKEN FULL RESPONSIBILITY.”
- CINDY STANKOSKI
“HE WASN’T AWARE OF ANYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON? TO ME THAT HAD TO HAVE BEEN A LIE. HE HAD TO HAVE KNOWN.”
- CINDY STANKOSKI
On co-workers and other putting the blame on them:
“YOU KNOW THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT SAY SHE DIDN’T HAVE TO GO. WHAT PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND IS THE PRESSURE AND THE POWER THAT WE DEALT WITH. FOR ME, I FELT AS IF NO WAS NOT AN OPTION, HE WOULD NOT LEAVE ME ALONE UNTIL I ACCEPTED THE INVITATION. AND YOU JUST HAD TO GO JUST TO SHUT HIM UP.”
- CINDY STANKOSKI
