Rick "Baron" Gattone is frequently being mentioned as the likely Republican candidate to run against Democrat Gregory B. Olma for the 5th District seat in the Erie county legislature.
On Thursday, January 11, at 6pm, Gattone is scheduled to address the members of the 132 combined block clubs known as the Newberg Coalition at their headquarters on Gennesee street.
Before one of Buffalo’s largest Block Club groups, Gattone will propose an inclusive and interactive plan he hopes to implement in tandem with the Coalition.
From increasing lighting on Genesee street, to starting a local Chess Tournament, an East Side Spelling bee, and a 5 k.run, Gattone has an array of programs he hopes to implement this spring.
Observers see Gattone’s invitation to speak at the Newberg coalition and his plan to work with them as significant, since most of the block clubs in the coalition are in the 5th district, and the group’s leader, Irene Klinko Morris’s endorsement in the election will have a good deal of impact in the community.
And, for those who want to know a little more about the lucid, and sparkling Gattone, we reprint, with permission, a recent mention of him in the Buffalo Beat, found in their felicitous and informative Politics and Media Watch:
Spanish Nobility in the County Legislature?
Lovejoy activist Rick "Baron" Gattone, age 46, says he is contemplating running as a Republican for Erie County 5th district legislator, a seat currently occupied by Democrat Gregory B. Olma. The 5th district includes parts of the Broadway-Fillmore, and Lovejoy areas in Buffalo, but is predominantly in Cheektowaga. Election is November, 2001.
Gattone's intentions deserve to be taken seriously, as he was in 1999, when he gave
Rich Fontana a spirited run in a Democratic primary for the Lovejoy council seat, in a whirlwind, last minute, 53 day long campaign. After his primary loss, Gattone followed the lead of Joel Giambra, and switched from Democrat to Republican - in fact, on the very night of Giambra's election as County Executive. Gattone's intentions deserve to be taken seriously, as he was in 1999, when he gave Rich Fontana a spirited run in a Democratic primary for the Lovejoy council seat, in a whirlwind, last
minute, 53 day long campaign. After his primary loss, Gattone followed the lead of
Joel Giambra, and switched from Democrat to Republican - in fact, on the very
night of Giambra's election as County Executive.
Should Gattone run and win, he would not only be the first Republican to represent the heavily Democratic 5th district, but, as sources confirm, he might be the first of Spanish nobility in recent memory. Gattone says, with tongue quite possibly in cheek, that he inherits through his father, (the late "Baron" Jose Richardo Gattoni, formerly a professional wrestler, who, in 1959, was one half of the American Wrestling association world tag team champions,) the Gattoni hereditary title of Baron. Young "Baron" Rick, a bachelor, is currently employed in the high tech industry for a major telecommunications company, and, like his father, also had a career in wrestling. In 1999, Rick was inducted into the World's Professional Wrestling hall of fame for announcing and commentating.
Asked how he expects to overcome the 3 to 1 party enrollment disadvantage in his district, "Baron" Gattone says, "Not unlike professional wrestling, in life, the vast majority overwhelmingly identify with the underdog."
Gattone, who still appears as a wrestling announcer for both live and televised events across America, and is scheduled for a tour in Asia in March, says he's much more interested in a "title match with Olma in Cheektowaga.
Swanick will be reelected Erie County Chairman
Just as Bush’s cousin, John Ellis, called Florida and, hence, the election for George W. Bush on behalf of Fox news, and this, slightly ahead of the media pack, we here at the Illuzzi letter are first to call the reelection of Charles Swanick as Chairman of the county legislator for 2001.
The chairman is usually elected in December by a simple majority of its 17 members.
Through an informal poll, we have ascertained that Swanick has the necessary 9 votes to be reelected.
Swanick’s reelection to the powerful post was at times uncertain in recent months. Supporters of County executive Joel Giambra fairly salivated at a coup that could have given the chair to a Republican, or possibly to a dissident Democrat of whom there have been in recent months namely two- Gregory B. Olma and Al Debenedetti.
Since the legislature stands with only a slight plurality for loyal Democrats, if one wavering Democrat had flipped, it would have put the Chair entirely in question. During much of last year, in fact, Swanick maintained his majority by the thinnest of margins, with Republican Legislator Bill Pauly siding with the Swanick Democrats, while Olma and Debenedetti sided with Republicans. Swanick won many 9 -8 votes, making any one of his nine, a floating majority of one - on any issue.
However, no one flipped, in spite of some interesting behind the scenes pressure, and now, with the perception of inevitability surrounding him, we are predicting that Swanick will prevail as Republicans also will come on board, along with "maverick" Al Debendetti..
There is however another candidate for the chair who would also fairly salivate for the position, a man who in his own mind is the most qualified for the Chairman’s role, a man who sees himself as the future leader of both the Republicans and Democrats in the legislature, a man who has distinguished himself for making headlines in the darndest places, a man who will, in all probability, vote loudly and decisively for himself. In short, we predict the vote for Chairman will be 16 for Swanick, and one for Gregory B. Olma.
