War of Consultants. Luxenburg Sues Farina for $150k and Percentage of Fees. State Rep. Says Ex-Partner Violated Deal.

Their detractors will have trouble picking a side. Former partners in The Vinci Group, LLC, Democratic campaign consultants, are embroiled in litigation. State Representative Geoffrey Luxemburg (D-Manchester) claims in a six-count complaint that one-time business partner Michael Farina has failed to pay him as much as $150,000 plus 15% of other profits pursuant to the terms of their 2017 separation agreement.

Luxenburg left the business in 2017 to go to work for former political consulting client and Middletown mayor, Dan Drew. Luxwnburg lasted only three months as Drew’s chief of staff, coming to grief over the mixture of official duties and political acts. Drew was candidate for governor in 2017.

Luxenberg reclaimed a seat in the legislature in 2018 when his former wife, popular Democrat Kelly Juleson-Scopino, decided not to seek a third term from the district Luxenberg had previously represented. Luxenberg’s suit claims Farina dissolved Vinci and carried on its political and marketing work under a new entity, breaching, among other things, their agreement and an implied obligation to deal fairly with Luxenberg.

The matter has been fast-tracked for a December trial in Superior Court after Luxenberg withdrew his attempt to have the court place liens on three properties the warring business partners had owned together.