Lewiston resident Amy Hope Witryol has taken aim at mailings sent throughout State Sen. George D. Maziarz's district.
As she did last week, the environmental advocate questioned the use of public funds for the mailings, which tout Maziarz initiatives like the Public Assistance Integrity Act, which would limit the ways welfare recipients can spend their benefits.
Witryol has requested an investigation by the Joint Committee on Public Ethics in Albany and also asked for a disclosure of costs and recipients of the mailers.
That request was denied by the State Senate on Tuesday, with this explanation:
“Please be advised that the records you request, if the records even exist, are not subject to disclosure pursuant to the provisions of the Rules of the Temporary President.”
Today, Democrat Witryol questioned another mailing sent by the Newfane Republican to Orleans County voters. The mailing states that Maziarz advocates for less spending, lower taxes and more jobs.
“During his 18 years in office, Sen. Maziarz voted for more spending that increased taxes while his district lost thousands of jobs," Witryol said in a statement. "To spend taxpayer money on a blatantly political mailer like this is what Maziarz, himself, called ‘outrageous’ two years ago.”
Maziarz, who has defended the mailings as a way to inform his constituents about key issues, said that Witryol "has a record of making wild, vastly untrue charges."
"In a very difficult economy, I worked very hard to provide economic opportunities and jobs to Orleans County," Mariarz said. "The only operating ethanol plant in New York State is located in Orleans County as a direct result of my efforts."
A phone message left for Maziarz requesting details on the costs of the mailings was not immediately returned.
Maziarz will face Republican Johnny G. Destino -- who has support from the Tea Party and developer Carl P. Paladino -- in a Republican primary before taking on Witryol in the general election.
--Charlie Specht
