For many years George Maziarz has been an important and powerful leader in Niagara County Republican politics. He rose in rank during his ten-year tenure as a state Senator, serving as part of the leadership of the Republican caucus when they last held control of the Senate. He continues to maintain a political committee with a treasury totaling $559,509 as of the last reporting. He continues to assert his presence in the affairs of the party.
Which brings us to a letter which Maziarz sent recently to Richard Andres, the Chairman of the Niagara County Republican Committee, a copy of which was obtained by Politics and Other Stuff. In that letter Maziarz lays out some serious issues which suggest that the Republican candidate for the State Assembly in the 145th District, Rebecca Wydysh, will have trouble winning the election. The incumbent in the district, Republican Angelo Morinello, is retiring.
The Democrat in the 145th District is Nate McMurray, the former supervisor of Grand Island. McMurray has also run for Congress, losing to Chris Collins in a close race.
Maziarz tells Andres that he wants “nothing but success for this party and its founding principles,” but he adds that he has “serious concerns about the viability of the Republican Party throughout New York State this year, and those concerns are amplified here in Western New York, one of the few regions of the state with truly competitive districts.”
Maziarz reports that he has met McMurray. He suggests that even though McMurray “has a history of taking hard-left positions, he also is a visually appealing candidate who can carry himself as a realistic candidate to represent” the 145th district with significant support from the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee (DACC).
The former Senator then proceeds to itemize what he characterizes as “Rebecca Wydysh’s disastrous record as chair of the Niagara County Legislature.” The issues Maziarz raises include (words in CAPS are as in the letter):
She “hired Nick D’Angelo AFTER D’Angelo admitted to sexually abusing a CHILD!!! And he was hired to work in county’s Department of Social Services where women and children seek assistance.”
“The Legislature, under Becky Wydysh, hired Glenn [Aronow] after he was fired by the State of New York, which settled the lawsuit brought about by Glenn’s actions at a cost to the taxpayers of over $100,000.”
“Then the there is the matter of your predecessor as chairman of this party. When it was reported that Scott Kiedrowski – Niagara County’s former OTB member and a top OTB official, at an entity the county ultimately owns – was sued by THREE women for sexual harassment did Rebecca speak out?”
“After the lawsuit was filed the OTB board (including Rebecca’s appointee!) gave Kiedrowski THREE pay raises totaling $70,000 bringing his salary to $195,000. And then, the lawsuit was settled costing taxpayers $500,000!!! Did Rebecca demand that Kiedrowski be fired?”
Maziarz details Kiedrowski’s actions as he says are reported in the sexual harassment lawsuit concerning Kiedrowski’s alleged treatment of the women.
Maziarz reports that “Wydysh voted to give herself a 25% raise for her SECOND taxpayer funded job. She did it two days before Christmas when she suspected that taxpayers were too busy to pay attention.”
“Rececca’s appointees to the Niagara County IDA gave one of the richest men in the world a $125 million tax break… Amazon and the developer were going to give Erie Co. an 8-million-dollar ANNUAL Community Benefit Fund to support local not for profits… under Rebecca’s leadership Niagara County got nothing!!!”
“Rebecca voted to raise water rates for every homeowner and business in Lewiston, Wheatfield, Cambria, Wilson, Porter by 20%…”
Maziarz notes additional issues concerning Henry Wojtaszek’s tenure in leadership at OTB including a $28,000 three-day trip to Las Vegas along with Kiedrowski. Maziarz tells Andres that after news about the trip was reported Wydysh reappointed Wojtaszek to the OTB board.
Maziarz suggests that these issues will be exploited by McMurray with the assistance of DACC and Erie County Democrats; the district includes Grand Island. DACC as of January had more than $2.3 million available for upcoming Assembly campaigns.
The former Senator tells Andres that he has met Wydysh and likes her. “But her candidacy is a nonstarter… this is not her time, nor the office she should seek.”
The 2026 election cycle is underway. Petitions are on the streets. Maziarz was once a powerful man in Albany. He helped build the Republican Party in Niagara County and likely still has influence on the party’s activities. His warnings about issues that can be raised in Rebecca Wydysh’s campaign will give her party headaches. It will also give Nate McMurray’s campaign some useful ammunition.
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