Tag: Assembly

The Books that Assemblyman David DiPietro Wants to Ban

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With respect to Librarian of Basra and Nasreen’s Secret School, the craven, ignorant opportunist David DiPietro alleged that:

The teacher would not let the parents see the book until after they asked 3 times and threatened to go to the principal!!! The reading is all done in school and the books can not be taken out of the classroom!

Luckily, we have the internet. And Google. And YouTube.

 

Someone needs to run against – and defeat – this imbecile.

Gabryszak Exits

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Assemblycreep Dennis Gabryszak can now add “former” to his title.  He finally resigned from the state Assembly Sunday, picking a busy news day on the eve of the opening of the legislative session to bow out. He issued a detailed statement, taking little responsibility for anything, and claiming that he engaged in “banter” with these women who were troubled enough by his behavior to publicly air their grievances. 

Now, a large number of his former constituents are unrepresented, there’s no word on a special election, and Gabryszak will lose nothing – no pension, no nothing. He may be subject to at least six lawsuits from women whose claims fall within the applicable statute of limitations. (A seventh woman’s claims are time-barred). 

But he couldn’t even be bothered to be candid: 

Just a few days ago, I was provided the last in a series of allegations made by a group of women who were members of my staff. I have not replied until now because I had not even seen all of the allegations until two days ago. It would have been foolish to respond to allegations I had not yet seen.

The first three sets of allegations were brought in mid-December. He could have, you know, commented on (or denied) them a month ago.  In any event, his resignation was inevitable, and it came a month too late. 

So, who’s next? 

Mazurek v. Gabryszak, At Last

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If you were paying attention to Tuesday’s blizzard, you may have missed the fact that a seventh woman has filed a notice of claim with the state, indicating her intention to bring a lawsuit accusing Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak (D-Creepytown) of sexual harassment. That woman is Kristy Mazurek, of the 2Sides political TV program and Steve Pigeon’s AwfulPAC. 

Mazurek worked for Gabryszak between October 2008 and June 2009. Her notice of claim is here, and it details similar types of lecherous, obnoxious, misogynist harassment that the other six women have claimed. 

The problem is that the statute of limitations for any claim Mazurek might make expired, at best, 2 years ago. She can bring the notice, and even bring suit, but there’s no merit to any of it. So, one can only surmise that it’s been brought to bolster the existing allegations, or to make an extra headline or two. 

But here’s something that’s been nagging at me. Of all the various and sundry complaints that have been brought against Dennis the creep, only one accuser made her allegations under oath.  Attorney Johnny Destino signed for Freling, Snickles, and Campbell. Attorney John Bartolomei signed for Trimper and Tardone, as he did for Mazurek. Only Caitrin Kennedy verified the allegations in her claim, under oath. 

I don’t think it necessarily means anything substantively, so I point it out for its own sake. What is notable is the fact that Gabryszak has been completely silent on the matter since it became a thing in mid-December – he has not even deigned to deny the allegations in any way. 

Assemblyman Steve Katz on the Bills Stadium

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The next time you get all parochial and upset about something that’s happening in some other part of the state, and think to yourself, “why should we pay for that?” consider this.

Assemblyman Steve Katz (R-Yorktown) represents the 94th Assembly District, and is a Republican representing extreme northern Westchester and part of Putnam Counties. (He happens to be my parents’ Assemblyman). When confronted with a bill to send $60 million in state funds to renovate Ralph Wilson stadium, he said,

Manhattan Democratic Assemblyman Herman Farrell, Jr., (D-Washington Heights) the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, brought up the examples of the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn and the Jets and Giants playing in New Jersey. A Democrat from Manhattan defending your hobby fandom against a Republican from the rural New York exurbs? Consider that, Buffalo.

 

Endorsements: And the Rest

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Please note: these are not Artvoice endorsements, nor are they to be cited as such. They have not been approved or made by the Artvoice editors, publisher, or any combination thereof. Any endorsements are mine and mine alone. They are preferences – not predictions. 

See Erie County Senate Race endorsements here. 

The primary elections are taking place this Thursday. Please vote, if you can.

State Senate: 62d District (George Maziarz (R) Incumbent)

Republican Primary: George Maziarz

Yesterday, I accidentally omitted this race, since I was working off an Erie County list. In Niagara County, longtime incumbent George Maziarz has suddenly found himself on the receiving end of a barrage of hatred and vitriol spewed his way by the likes of Carl Paladino and his compliant sidekick, Rus Thompson. For more about this – and how it’s degenerated from exposing Maziarz’s cronyism to outing him as a closeted gay – click this link and this link. 

I have no doubt that Maziarz is yet another Republican careerist officeholders who talks up private enterprise while being unencumbered by it; who wants to reduce the size and scope of government while ensuring that he continues to be coddled and supported by its largesse. He is no different in that respect from any of them. He even went so far as to pander to the tea party movement a few years ago, which was quite odd. 

Senator Maziarz and the tea party in happier times

I don’t know the ins and outs of Niagara County politics, except to say that what little I know makes Erie County look urbane by comparison. I’m sure Maziarz’s opponent, Johnny Destino, is a swell guy, but in this case the support of his campaign by the abusive Paladino tea party inures against him, and – leaving most observers amazed and shocked – actually makes Maziarz out to be a sympathetic figure. 

It’s reminiscent of what Pigeon and his collection of goons tried to do to Sam Hoyt a few years ago – in trying to help Barbra Kavanaugh, they unleashed a barrage of negativity on Hoyt that was so relentlessly vicious, that people felt sorry for Hoyt and Kavanaugh lost. I called it the “Kavanaugh flip” – that moment when a negative campaign injures itself, rather than its intended target. 

That’s what Thompson and Paladino – two guys who couldn’t get elected, and have had little success helping others do the same – have done with Maziarz. 

Assembly 147th District (New)

Republicans: David DiPietro

David DiPietro may be something of a tea party loon and a perennial candidate, and he is unfortunately associated with the likes of Paladino, but I’d actually like to see him go to Albany and have a chance at accomplishing something. He’s a lot of talk, let’s see some action. The rest of this collection are no great shakes, anyway. Dan Humiston? Really? 

Independence Party: Christina Abt

Setting aside for a moment my natural aversion to electoral fusion, given that Abt is up against IP member Humiston, I think it apt that you go to the polls and support her. She is good people and needs the IP line. 

Assembly 149th District: (Sean Ryan (D)Incumbent): 

I’m torn by this choice. On the one hand, I like what Sean Ryan has done since going to Albany, and I think his mission to re-invent IDAs and the way they encourage inter-regional poaching of businesses through weak, poorly vetted promises that are seldom kept. By the same token, I am a huge fan of Kevin Gaughan‘s – more for his promotion of regional government than for his downsizing effort – and would very much like to see him get elected to public office, so that we can see him in action. 

So, I’m not making an endorsement in this race, except to urge Democrats to go to the polls and not vote for Mascia.