Angela Wozniak

Angela Wozniak (born March 11, 1987) is a former member of the New York State Assembly, serving from 2015 to 2016. She represented the 143rd district, which included Cheektowaga, Lancaster, and Depew, New York.[1] An enrolled Conservative, Wozniak caucused with the Republican minority in the Assembly.[2]

Angela M. Wozniak
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 143rd district
In office
January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2016
Preceded byDennis Gabryszak
Succeeded byMonica P. Wallace
Personal details
Born (1987-03-11) March 11, 1987
Buffalo, New York
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)Phil Drenning
ChildrenOne
ResidenceCheektowaga, New York
Alma materD'Youville College (B.B.M.)
ProfessionInsurance Broker
WebsiteAssembly Website

In March 2016, Wozniak was admonished by the Assembly Ethics Committee for having retaliated against a staffer with whom she had engaged in an extramarital affair. In May 2016, Wozniak announced that she would not seek reelection to the Assembly.

Early life, family, and early career

Wozniak was born in Buffalo, New York to a Polish-American family[3] and graduated from Lancaster High School.[4] She graduated from D'Youville College with a degree in business management. She owns an insurance agency.[5]

Wozniak is married to Phil Drenning.[6] They have a son.[7]

In 2011, Wozniak was elected to the Cheektowaga Town Board. During her time on the board, she fought against deliberate overpayment for sidewalk repairs.[8]

New York State Assembly

2014 election

In the 2014 election, Wozniak ran for the 143rd State Assembly seat previously vacated by Dennis Gabryszak. She ran on both the Republican and Conservative ballot lines.[9] The seat was considered to be a Democratic stronghold.[8] In an upset, she defeated Democrat Mark M. Mazurek.[10] Wozniak ran on an anti-corruption platform.[8]

Tenure

One of Wozniak's first legislative actions was to introduce the Public Officers Accountability Act, which would have disqualified felons from receiving government contracts, lobbying or holding public office.[3] She spoke out against unfunded mandates and proposed a moratorium on such mandates.[11] Wozniak opposed letting transgender students use the school bathroom of their choice.[4]

Scandal

On March 9, 2016, Wozniak was disciplined and banned from hiring interns following an investigation by the Assembly Ethics Committee. The investigation related to allegations made by a staffer with whom Wozniak had engaged in an extramarital affair.[12][13] While the Committee "found insufficient evidence to conclude that the relationship at any point constituted 'quid pro quo sexual harassment'",[14] it did find that Wozniak had retaliated against the staffer by tarnishing his reputation after their affair ended.[12][13] Wozniak later apologized for exercising "very poor judgment [by] having [a] relationship with a staffer."[15]

In May 2016, Wozniak announced that she would not seek reelection to her Assembly seat.[16] She was succeeded by Democrat Monica P. Wallace.[17]

As part of a 2019 settlement with New York's Joint Commission on Public Ethics, Wozniak admitted that she had broken state law when she made personnel decisions regarding the staffer with whom she had engaged in an affair.[14]

References
  1. "District Map". Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  2. DeWitt, Karen. "Assemblywoman sanctioned on sexual harrassment [sic] charges". www.wrvo.org.
  3. Wozniak, Angela (March 19, 2015). "Faith and Family: Bedrock Values for a Pol-Am 28 year old". The Am-Pol Eagle. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  4. WKBW Staff. "Lawmaker concerned over Lancaster transgender policy". WKBW. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  5. Precious, Tom (March 9, 2016). "Angela Wozniak faces range of sanctions after affair with staffer".
  6. Seiler, Casey; March 9, senior news editor on; PM, 2016 at 3:29 (March 9, 2016). "Heastie announces sanctions against Wozniak". Capitol Confidential.
  7. Campanile, Carl (September 11, 2015). "Woman elected on 'family values' accused of sexual harassment".
  8. "Conservative Wozniak's stunning victory will bring some new blood to Albany". The Buffalo News. November 12, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  9. Mcandrew, Mike (March 17, 2016). "Ethics reforms put on hold in Albany, while bad acts plague Buffalo lawmakers". syracuse.com.
  10. Fetouh, Eileen Buckley, Omar. "Election results: Panepinto, Ortt, Wozniak heading to Albany". news.wbfo.org.
  11. "Wozniak attacks unfunded NY state mandates". The Am-Pol Eagle. May 20, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  12. "Wozniak admonished over affair with staffer". Capital New York. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  13. Yee, Vivian (March 10, 2016). "New York Assemblywoman Sexually Harassed Aide, Ethics Panel Says". The New York Times. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  14. Lombardo, David (August 15, 2019). "Ethics watchdog settles case against former western NY Assembly member". Times Union.
  15. "In Video, Assemblywoman Apologizes for Poor Judgment". Spectrum News Buffalo. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  16. Schneider, Avery (May 10, 2016). "Sanctioned Assemblywoman Angela Wozniak not seeking re-election". WFBO. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  17. Herr, Jim (December 1, 2017). "Monica Wallace announces bid for re-election in 2018".
Political offices
Preceded by
Dennis Gabryszak		 New York Assembly, 143rd District
2015–2016		 Succeeded by
Monica P. Wallace
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