Dirty tricks ‘backfire’; Forster is new Dem Chairman

Forster (2nd from right, front) with supporters in front of on his “Forster Express,” a Gray Line bus he chartered to bring committee members to the Lockport reorganizational meeting, Monday October 1.

(Left to right) first vice chairwoman of the newly reorganized Niagara County Democratic Committee, Ida Massaro; Niagara County Legislator, Jason Zona; newly crowned Niagara County Chairman, Nick Forster; Niagara Falls Council member, Kristen Grandinetti; town of Niagara Council member, Robert Clark at victory celebration at the Original Honey’s on Niagara Falls Blvd. and 56th St. in Niagara Falls.

Despite what might have been one of the dirtiest county chairman campaigns in recent memory, the man who held the high ground won it all.

Nick Forster is the new Democratic Party Chairman for Niagara County. In a surprising turn out and show of approval committee members came from around the county - many on “the Forster Express” a bus chartered for the occasion - and ushered in their new leader, converging on the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Fairgrounds in Lockport Monday to crown Forster party boss.

“It was a dirty campaign, the dirtiest I have seen in 22 years,” said Niagara County Legislator Dennis Virtuoso, one of the few elected Democrats in Republican dominated Niagara County.

Forster’s main opponent, Lawyer Jeremy Schnurr, the outgoing party boss, decided, after doing a head county to decline the nomination to run against Forster.

A spate of anonymous mailings landed in the mailboxes of committee members over the last few days and arrived at news media offices - unsigned - alleging various high crimes and misdemeanors against Forster.

Reached on the “Forster Express” after the reorganizational meeting that made him party boss, Forster said, “I was a little animated on the floor by these last minute dirty tricks. Quite frankly it backfired on them. It energized the committee members all over the county.

“Quite frankly, there was some people on the fence and after the dirty mailers, they felt compelled to come to the meeting to show their support.
“You know people are long tired of dirt bag politics. What they want is relief; they want results.”

In the sprit of a conquering Caesar granting clemency, Forster said he held no grudge against Schnurr and his “minions” who, among other things, sent out personal data about Forster including his social security number and his ex wife’s to hundreds of people.

“I have said we are a party of inclusion. Anyone can come back and join the cause. That is the way we are going to operate,” he said.

Forster returns as Niagara County Democratic chairman after an absence of more than ten years. He may be the first county chairman in New York to be re-elected to the post.

Forster, a former Democratic party chairman in the late 90’s, presided over an almost even split between Republican and Democratic party elected officials.

Today the county despite having a slight majority of Democrats has almost every elected position filled by Republicans which, almost all concede is due to the strategic political brilliance of State Senator George Maziarz.

Aside from late mailers, the choice of the fairgrounds in Lockport was criticized as an attempt to tilt the election for then-Chairman Schnurr who it was said might benefit by having the meeting far distant from Forster’s strongest base of support in Niagara Falls.

Schnurr dismissed such criticism, believing the location was appropriate since Lockport is the county seat.
Forster is a state employee with the Racing and Wagering Board.

Gary Parenti, a local political consultant, recently dropped out of the competition to offer support to Schnurr.

Jason Zona, a Niagara County Legislator, supported Forster and was critical of the current Democratic hierarchy. "They do not know how to win races. At the end of the day, Nick knows how to win an election."

Forster, showing the kind of zeal it will take to win elections, bused in dozens of committee members from the City of Niagara Falls.

While Schnurr enjoyed support from North Tonawanda and Wheatfield, Forster had the majority of Niagara Falls and when these alighted from the bus and entered the big room where the vote would be taken, Schnurr realized he hadn’t the votes and conceded.