Erie County Legislature
Democrats blast GOP mailings
Erie County Democrats are crying foul over Albany Republicans suddenly inserting themselves into local County Legislature races, but the state GOP says they and other Democrats around New York should expect more of the same.
County Legislature Chairwoman Lynn M. Marinelli, D-Town of Tonawanda, said Wednesday that mailings slamming at least five Democratic candidates for the County Legislature are arriving this week, courtesy of the New York State Republican Committee.
“In all my time here I’ve never seen where the state party has involved itself to this degree in local legislative races,” she said.
And she suspects County Executive Chris Collins is enlisting state Republicans in his effort to install a new administration-friendly Legislature in County Hall.
“You can’t claim you’re not a politician and then do political campaigning in these races,” she said. “If they’re all about transparency and accountability, they should be forthcoming on that.”
A spokesman for Collins was not available, but state GOP Executive Director Thomas J. Basile said the mailings are exactly what new state Republican Chairman Edward F. Cox promised.
In fact, he called Democratic protests “a wonderful compliment.”
“It’s the responsibility in part of the state committee to provide assistance, and some of those cases are in Erie County,” Basile said. “This is the beginning of the process.”
He said money has arrived in state GOP coffers from various sources since Cox took over the party helm last month. And he said the new chairman will not be shy about distributing it as he tries to rebuild a party that has suffered its share of significant defeats in recent years.
Marinelli estimated the state party could be spending as much as $50,000 in the mailings, which she said carry the “consistent message” of this year’s GOP campaign labeling various Democratic candidates as “career politicians.”
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