Cheektowaga Assemblywoman Angela Wozniak has released a video statement through her attorney, responding to sanctions imposed upon her office by a state ethics committee.
This statement was pre-recorded, so 7EWN crews were not able to ask the Assemblywoman any follow-up questions.
Earlier Thursday, Wozniak's attorney released a written statement on her behalf, reading in part "Assemblymember Wozniak is pleased and not at all surprised that she was cleared by the Ethics Committee of any and all charges for sexual harassment, sexual quid-pro-quo or causing a sexually hostile work environment."
Wozniak admitted to an affair with her Director of Legislation, who 7 Eyewitness News has independently identified as Elias Farah.
Attorney Steven Cohen declined an on camera interview, adding in the statement, "Ms. Wozniak is prohibited by the Assembly Ethics Committee from responding to the finding that she made false statements to one person that “reflected poorly on the employee’s job performance.”
Wozniak was investigated by the Assembly's ethics committee after a former staffer made sexual harassment allegations against her.
Farah will continued to be paid out of Wozniak's budget, according to the ethics committee.
In response to the statement recently released to the media by the Assemblywoman's counsel, I think any and all statements from the Assemblywoman, or her counsel, which to this point have been substantively untrue, defamatory and retaliatory are in direct defiance of the assembly sanctions directing her to "cease publicizing details of the investigation and to cease making disparaging statements against her former Director of Legislation".
