Swanick Leaving Erie County Legislature

[avet]

(Buffalo, NY, May 4, 2005) - - You're seeing this story first right here! He missed four meetings in a row, and News 4's Mylous Hairston has learned that Erie County lawmaker Chuck Swanick will soon hop a train and return to his old career as a railroad engineer.

After 25 years in County Hall, Chuck Swanick may be riding the rails out of the Erie County legislature.

News 4 has confirmed the Republican lawmaker has a job lined up with CSX.

James Louis, chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Local 421, said, "Chuck Swanick has re-applied to come back to work as a locomotive engineer."

Swanick has been on a leave of absence from CSX since he was first elected to the legislature in 1980.

Sources tell me his decision to return to the rail is tied to Erie County's budget crisis and poor polling numbers for re-election.

His training locally is set to start within the next two weeks at a Kenmore railyard.

Louis said, "He is going through all the documents and the papers that he needs to do to fulfill that, and we expect him to be coming back to work on the railroad in the very near future."

Just five days ago, Swanick only had this to say about rumors he was training in Atlanta for a return to his train career that started in 1967: "I was on personal family business. It is unusual for me, I will admit, to be away."

James Louis confirms that Atlanta is a training site for CSX employees, and that Swanick has been been planning for a job outside the legislature for some time.

Louis said, "I believe this started, for Mr. Swanick, back sometime in February or March, when he first started to approach the carrier, so it's been going on for the last couple of months."

I made numerous attempts to contact legislator Swanick. He has not returned any of my calls regarding his future in the Erie County legislature.

Sources tell me he is expected to make a decision on whether to seek another term by the end of the week.

[biker]

This would be great news.

Has it been picked up anywhere else in the news?

Now if we could get the FBI to pick up the pace, we could have Holt out soon, too.

[biker]

WBEN is also reporting Swanick's departure on their web page.

They also have Swanick himself confirming it.

His legacy will be an almost-bankrupt County, a Legislature incapable of even putting anything to a vote for the past month and an impotent County Executive.

[moonshine]

This is wonderful news from a long-term perspective, but terrible for the short-term. Now that sweaterboy doesn't have to worry about re-election you can count on him supporting each and every tax increase from now until ther end of his term. He will blow his wad making sure every person connected to him gets some sort of payoff as a thank you for supporting him for over two decades.

Someone should tie him to the train tracks he loves so much to prevent him from casting one more vote in the legislature.

[biker]

OK-here's for trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

If he does vote for every increase, does it make a good example to force every candidate to pledge to rescind them?

[Boost Buffalo]

Originally posted by moonshine


Someone should tie him to the train tracks he loves so much to prevent him from casting one more vote in the legislature.

right, it was his union buddies that got Swanick the new job. They're bumping another rail employee and giving the job to Swanick. can you believe it? good grief

Swanick will screw us good again one last time, for sure.

[Linda_D]

Originally posted by Boost Buffalo
right, it was his union buddies that got Swanick the new job. They're bumping another rail employee and giving the job to Swanick. can you believe it? good grief

Swanick will screw us good again one last time, for sure.

How do you know this, BB? A citation, if you please.

[Boost Buffalo]

Originally posted by Linda_D
How do you know this, BB? A citation, if you please.

channel 2 interviewed either the union official or the CSX employer, not sure which. But they were extremely candid how the whole thing came about, including how an employee is getting bumped to make room for Swanik, via union order.

[WNYresident]

YOu mean you can be gone for 25 years and acutally bump someone who worked for that position? Doesn't the UNION stand up for the poor guy getting bumped?

[avet]

LIES, LIES, LIES, DOUBLETALK, AND MORE LIES. IT'S SICKENING !

THIS REFLECTS THE TYPICAL "ATTITUDE" OF LEGISLATORS TOWARDS "ANY" TYPE OF ACCOUNTABILITY WHATSOEVER.
_________________________________________
But over and over again, Swanick said only this: "I was on personal family business.”
_________________________________________

Channel 2 Reporter: "Have you been actively seeking employment elsewhere?"

Swanick: "No (shaking his head).

Let me just say this to you. I haven't made a decision whether I'm going to run or not. I have opportunities like every one of you. Every one of you. And I think as a personal private citizen, I should be able to take advantage for every opportunity that comes along."

Channel 2 Reporter: "Do believe you should have to give your pay back to the county for the meetings that you missed?"
Swanick: "Oh my gracious (laughs). I think all of us are entitled to a little time away. If you notice in the charter, county legislators don't receive vacation time, any kind of time off. We're basically available 24 hours a day, seven days a week."


__________________________________________________
"If you notice in the charter, county legislators don't receive vacation time, any kind of time off."

------------------YET---------------------------

"Swanick spent part of his recent two-week vacation at an engineer training school maintained in Maryland by Conrail successor CSX."
_________________________________________________

WAS HE PAID?

WAS IT CONSIDERED "VACATION TIME", OR NOT?

IF NOT, WE SHOULD NOT PAY FOR THE TIME HE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
__________________________________________________
"We're basically available 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
__________________________________________________

2 On Your Side has called Swanick's district office several times, but our calls were not returned. Nor were our calls to his cell phone. We also called the legislative offices at county hall, and were told that no one has seen him for at least a couple of weeks.

"I haven't heard any reasons given as to why he's been absent,” said Warren Glover.

For at least the last four meetings, his seat in the chamber has been empty. He’s missing discussion on issues ranging from whether to reopen the parks and DMVs to those staffer pay cuts that never happened.

Channel 2 Reporter: "What do you say to those in your district who are upset that, at the height of the county's fiscal crisis, you've been out of the mix for about a month now?"
Swanick: "Let me tell you something right now. The height of the crisis is not now, because nothing is going to get done


________________________________
"because nothing is going to get done"
________________________________

HOW CAN THINGS "GET DONE" WHEN YOUR NOT THERE (BUT GETTING PAID FOR IT) ????

PISSING AWAY OUR MONEY - CAUSE IT AIN'T ...."THEIR'S"


======================================
"Don't write his political obituary yet," said one associate.
A Conrail engineer at the time of his 1979 election, Swanick spent part of his recent two-week vacation at an engineer training school maintained in Maryland by Conrail successor CSX.
======================================

GOOD RIDDENCE !!! ONE DOWN, A FEW DOZEN MORE TO GO

[buffalopundit]

If Swanick goes back to the railroad, will he wear a frickin sweater every day?

If Swanick goes back to the railroad, will he bankrupt it, too?

If Swanick goes back to the railroad, will he show up for work?

If Swanick goes back to the railroad, will he increase expenses while squandering revenue?

[avet]

The Railroad is about to get "railroaded".

[WNYresident]

Originally posted by buffalopundit
If Swanick goes back to the railroad, will he wear a frickin sweater every day?

If Swanick goes back to the railroad, will he bankrupt it, too?

If Swanick goes back to the railroad, will he show up for work?

If Swanick goes back to the railroad, will he increase expenses while squandering revenue?

I can't believe they would bump anyone or just hire him after an absense of 25 years. I would like to know if someone really got bumped or removed from that position so that he could have what ever it is. Right now we really don't have a clue what he's doing or what happened in the first place.