NIAGARA COUNTY
Wojtaszek resigns from law firm, eyes state GOP job
NORTH TONAWANDA — Clearing the decks for an expected run for state Republican Party chairman, Henry F. Wojtaszek said Wednesday he has resigned as a partner in the Harris Beach law firm.
“We made a mutual decision this was the best course of action,” said Wojtaszek, the Niagara County GOP chairman. He said his resignation from the law firm was effective Wednesday.
Wojtaszek, 46, said he will make a final decision within 45 days about whether to run for the top spot among New York Republicans.
A statement from the law firm said, “Henry Wojtaszek resigned from Harris Beach to pursue Republican Party activities full time. This is an amicable departure, and we wish him good luck.”
Wojtaszek is vice chairman of the state GOP for upstate affairs, a post he was given by the current state chairman, Joseph Mondello of Nassau County.
He has been traveling extensively around the state in recent months, meeting with Republican groups.
He is also tuned into state politics through his longtime alliance with State Sen. George D. Maziarz, R-Newfane. Wojtaszek was in the State Senate gallery June 8 as Republican senators pulled off the coup that led to the chamber’s current deadlock.
As he seeks a higher position, Wojtaszek said he will continue as Niagara County GOP chief.
“There are no plans to leave as county Republican chairman unless I am elected state chairman,” he said.
Wojtaszek said he will continue to do some private legal work.
Wojtaszek has headed the county GOP since September 2000, except for a few months in 2002, when he made an unsuccessful run for Congress against Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-Fairport.
Since Wojtaszek took charge, Republicans have begun to dominate a Niagara County government that was traditionally closely split and frequently changed hands between the parties.
The County Legislature, for many years closely balanced, is now controlled 14-5 by the GOP and its adherents from other parties. Wojtaszek has frequently recruited winning candidates who retain their registrations in the Democratic or minor parties but vote dependably with the GOP.
Wojtaszek joined Harris Beach, a Rochester-based law firm with statewide offices, in January 2005. Before that, he had his own law office and served as North Tonawanda city attorney, an elected post he gave up at that time.
Since he joined Harris Beach, the firm has been a power player in Niagara County politics, receiving several lucrative contracts for legal work.
Harris Beach ousted Hogdson Russ, Buffalo’s biggest law firm, from its longtime role as counsel to the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency and also has worked for the Niagara Power Coalition and the county Refuse Disposal District.
Other prominent Republican attorneys who do government work, including Lockport Corporation Counsel John J. Ottaviano and IDA counsel Mark J. Gabriele, have joined Harris Beach since Wojtaszek led the way.
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