George D. Maziarz | |
---|---|
Member of the New York State Senate from the 62nd district | |
In office March 1995 –December 31, 2014 | |
Succeeded by | Robert Ortt |
Personal details | |
Born | North Tonawanda,New York | May 25,1953
Nationality | American |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Beverly Maziarz |
Residence | Newfane,New York |
George D. Maziarz (born May 25,1953) is a Republican politician from New York State. From 1995 to 2015,Maziarz represented the 62nd District in the New York State Senate,which included all of Niagara County,all of Orleans County,and the towns of Sweden and Ogden in Monroe County. In March 2018,Maziarz pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor to avoid trial on five felony charges arising out of the alleged filing of false campaign finance reports.
Maziarz is a native of North Tonawanda,New York,where he was educated in local schools,first at Ascension Academy and then at North Tonawanda High School,graduating in 1972. Four years later,he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Niagara University. [1]
He was appointed City Clerk in his hometown of North Tonawanda in 1978 at the age of 25 and he became Niagara County,New York Clerk in 1989. [1] Six years later,State Senator John Daly resigned his seat to become Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation,and Maziarz entered the State Senate after winning a special election. [1]
He has served as President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas, [1] member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of the Tonawandas, [1] member of the Corporate Advisory Board of DeGraff Memorial Hospital [1] and Chairman of the popular Canal Festival of the Tonawandas. [2] He is also a past officer and long-time member of Live Hose Co. #4,member of the Niagara County Volunteer Firemen’s Association,Knights of Columbus Council 2535,S.C.O.P.E. and the Niagara University Booster Club. [1]
During the 2012 presidential election,Republican Mitt Romney chose George Maziarz as a Polish-American representative to support his campaign. [3]
Maziarz was first elected to the New York State Senate in 1995 and was a "power-broker" in Western New York Republican circles during his term in office. [4] In January 1997,Maziarz was named Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee,a post which he held through the 2001-2002 session. [1] At various points Maziarz served as chairman of the Tourism,Recreation,and Sports Development Committee,Labor Committee,and Energy and Telecommunications Committee;he was also a member of the Rules;Higher Education;Crime,Crime Victims,and Corrections;Environmental Conservation;and Transportation committees. He voted against same-sex marriage legislation on December 2,2009;the bill was defeated. [5] In 2011,Maziarz voted against a similar bill allowing same-sex marriage in New York,the Marriage Equality Act,which narrowly passed the Senate in a close 33-29 vote. [6]
In July 2014,"amid reports that his office [was] under investigation by a federal prosecutor," [7] Maziarz announced that he would not seek re-election to the Senate that fall. [8]
In 2014,a team of investigators of the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption issued subpoenas that showed that "Maziarz's campaign had failed to disclose $147,000 in contributions and $325,000 in spending." [9] A review of Maziarz's bank records showed "personal,nonpolitical expenditures" made from campaign accounts;from 2007 through 2013,investigators found that credit and debit cards associated with Maziarz's campaign funds were used to pay "$28,000 at stores like Pier 1 and Michaels;$7,500 at Shutterfly,the photo-printing site;and $7,850 for reading material,including a stop at a Borders store at Kennedy Airport." [9]
In March 2017,Maziarz was charged with five felony counts of filing false campaign expenditure reports. The New York State Attorney General's Office charged that Maziarz had made the reports to illegally conceal $100,000 in payments to a former aide who had departed from his position amid accusations of sexual harassment. [10] Maziarz pleaded not guilty. [10]
On March 20,2018,Maziarz pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor as part of a deal allowing him to avoid trial for five felony counts. Maziarz was fined $1,000 "after admitting to one count of offering a false instrument for filing as part of a scheme to cover up payments from his political campaign. " [11]
Lawrence Edwin Craig is an American retired politician who served in the United States Senate representing Idaho from 1991 to 2009 and in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Idaho's 1st District from 1981 to 1991. A Republican,his 28 years in Congress rank as the second-longest in Idaho history,trailing only William Borah,who served over 32 years in the Senate.
Robert J. Mellow is an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 22nd District from 1971 to 2010. He also served as the Minority Floor Leader from 1994 to 2010 and President pro tempore from 1992 to 1994.
Thomas W. Libous was an American politician who served as New York State Senator for the 52nd Senate District,representing the counties of Broome,Tioga,Chenango and Delaware.
Hiram Monserrate,born on July 12,1967,is an American politician who served in the New York State Senate from 2009 until his expulsion in 2010. A Democrat,he previously served on the New York City Council from 2002 through 2008.
John L. Sampson is an American former politician and convicted felon. A Democrat,Sampson represented District 19 in the New York State Senate from 1997 to 2015. He is of Guyanese heritage. Sampson became Senate Democratic Leader in June 2009 and served as Senate Minority Leader from January 2011 to December 2012. Sampson forfeited his Senate seat when he was convicted of federal felony charges on July 24,2015. On January 18,2017,he was sentenced to five years in prison.
Matt Kelty is an American architect and former politician from Fort Wayne,Indiana. He is the founder of Kelty Tappy Design. Kelty was the 2007 Republican candidate for Mayor of Fort Wayne,Indiana and the 2002 candidate for the 81st District Indiana House of Representatives. In 2008 he pleaded guilty to two felonies and one misdemeanor for violating campaign finance laws.
Clayton R. Luckie II was a Democratic member of the Ohio House of Representatives,representing the 39th District since his appointment in 2006 until his decision to withdraw from the race for re-election in 2012,culminating with his replacement in January 2013.
Scott Bundgaard is a Republican politician who served in the Arizona House of Representatives and in the Arizona State Senate. Bundgaard was elected in 2010 as Majority Leader of the Arizona State Senate,and later served as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
Gerald Steven Pigeon,usually cited in newspaper accounts as Steve Pigeon,is a Democratic politician from Western New York. A controversial figure in contemporary Western New York politics,Pigeon was Erie County Democratic Chairman from 1996 to 2002,parlaying his clout to become an advisor to State Senator Pedro Espada Jr.,Tom Golisano,and Clare Bronfman of NXIVM. He is a convict serving concurrent sentences for federal and state corruption charges to which he has confessed. He is also accused of sexual assault of a child,which he denies.
Kent Sorenson is a former Iowa state legislator who resigned after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice and other felonies related to campaign finances.
Charles Matthew Fariss is an American politician. An Independent,he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2011,though he was a Republican at the time,having left the party in 2023. He represented the 59th district,made up of Appomattox County and Buckingham counties,and parts of Albemarle,Campbell,and Nelson counties between Charlottesville and Lynchburg.
Brian Roderick Banks is an American politician who served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 2013 to 2017. Banks was a candidate for the 2nd District of the Michigan Senate in 2018. He has been convicted of eight felonies related to writing bad checks and credit card fraud.
Marc C. Panepinto is an American attorney and Democratic politician from New York State.
Robert Gary Ortt II is an American military veteran,treasurer,and politician who is a member of the New York State Senate. Ortt represents the 62nd district,which covers Niagara and Orleans counties. First elected in 2014,Ortt is a Republican.