“The whole situation just seemed really fishy to me,” was the ironic choice of words Justin Winkle used, last Wednesday morning, to describe the now infamous Saturday night out in Pulaski that turned the 48th District State Senate election upside down.

Winkle, a fishing guide in Pulaski, narrated the controversial “fishing story” ad run by the Darrel Aubertine campaign in the weeks preceding last Tuesday’s special election. When the commercial was aired, Aubertine’s campaign was accused of “fraud” and “dishonesty,” which they responded to by shooting back with claims that “intimidation” and “coercing” tactics were used by the Barclay camp. The confusion that ensued following this incident made headlines across the entire state.

With the election now over, the commercial is no longer a topic of debate between Aubertine and Barclay. However, for Winkle, the actions of an Oswego County legislator, who visited the fishing guide just days after the “fishing story” ad aired, may border on illegal.

Speaking with The Palladium-Times last week, Winkle recalled the events of that Saturday evening, Feb. 9, and the day that followed, publicly for the first time since he was contacted by several reporters in the days immediately following the incident.

On Feb. 9 Winkle was paid a visit by a neighbor accompanied by Oswego County Legislator Shawn Doyle, R-Pulaski. Although Winkle knew the neighbor, he pointed out that “before that day, I had never met Shawn Doyle before in my life.” According to Winkle, Doyle came equipped with “a case of really strong Canadian beer ... I think it was 8 percent alcohol or more.” The neighbor had informed Winkle that Doyle wanted to speak with him “about the whole story involving the Barclays.”

Remembering the conversation that took place that evening, Winkle noted, “Doyle told me about all of the good things that the Barclays had done for Pulaski and the community. He told me about how filthy the river once was and how hard they had worked to get it cleaned up.”

Winkle recalled, “Doyle gave me a lecture ... over the course of several beers. He kept on telling me that the Barclays donat(ed) and help(ed) out schools. He also told me that there are plenty of other rivers to fish.” Winkle remembered responding that he felt that these good deeds were elected official’s responsibilities.

Winkle speculated that the legislator’s purpose in visiting him that night was to staunch his influence, in support of Aubertine, over area anglers. “I am pretty well known around Pulaski. It was also pretty well known that I was a supporter of Aubertine’s, and I was getting my friends and some of the fisherman and sportsmen behind him. It seems to me that maybe (Doyle) was thinking that ... we ought to try and quiet this kid down,” Winkle said.

Later that night Doyle, Winkle and others visited the Riverhouse, a bar in Pulaski. “They probably bought me two or three more drinks once we got there,” Winkle said. It was here that Winkle remembers the situation striking him as very awkward. “Some of my friends were there, and some of their friends were there, too ... it was then that I really started having some mixed thoughts about the whole situation and I had a really bad feeling that I was stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he added. “I just wanted the whole situation to come to an end right there.”

After leaving the bar, Winkle went to a friend’s house, where he went to sleep. Early the following morning, he awoke to drive another friend to work, and was pulled over and ticketed for driving while intoxicated. Initial newspaper reports indicated that the incident happened at 4:45 a.m. in the town of Boyelston, however, The Palladium-Times was told by state police that Winkle was pulled over in Pulaski at 5:10 a.m. and charged with driving while intoxicated, having no front license plate and having an unauthorized light on his vehicle. Another follow-up call with the state police internal affairs division gave the same information, but said he was not ticketed for having no license plate, rather for his plate being obstructed.

During the days following the visit, Winkle was quoted in several area publications, apologizing to the Barclays for his involvement in the commercial and stating that he wanted it “to be turned off” and that he “just wanted to be left alone.” However, in speaking to The Palladium-Times, Winkle said that Doyle had arranged for those reporters to speak with him and that he offered a retraction for his part in the commercial as a result of Doyle’s visit.

“I don’t think (Doyle) exactly told me to apologize, but it did seem to me that he was very careful in choosing his words when he was speaking to me. If I remember correctly, I asked him several times if he thought it was a good idea to retract my statement ... but he was very careful to say that he couldn’t make that decision for me.”
Winkle also vaguely remembered Doyle telling him that he was there to speak with him on his own behalf and that no one with the Barclay camp had any knowledge whatsoever of the visit. Winkle felt that this statement was true; however,  he added, “The fact is that (Doyle) was there ... and to me, that is him trying to make me change my mind.”

According to a portion of the New York State elections law, “it shall be unlawful for any person to: intimidate, threaten or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten or coerce, any person for the purpose of interfering with the right of such another person to vote or to vote as he may choose, or for the purpose of causing such other person to vote for, or not to vote for, any candidate.” Although Winkle has questioned whether Doyle did indeed violate the law, he’s undecided if he will further pursue the legalities of the actions on the night in question.

Numerous attempts to contact Doyle for comment were unsuccessful and several messages left for him were not returned.

Looking back at how he first got involved in the whole situation and how the election played out, Winkle said, “At first, I only got involved because as a fisherman I believe that we should be able to fish anywhere on the Salmon River ... just like any other river in the United States.” He added, “it’s been a long time since a Democrat has been in that seat ... maybe, now things will change.”