BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Time Warner Cable News has learned attorney John Bartolomei is representing the former legislative director for Assemblywoman Angela Wozniak. Sources confirm Elias Farah hired the Niagara Falls attorney as the Assembly Ethics Committee looks into Farah's sexual harassment and retaliation claim against Wozniak.
If Bartolomei's name sounds familiar, he also represents six of the seven women who accused former Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak of sexual harassment. That scandal directly led to Gabryszak's retirement announcement - clearing the way for Wozniak to win the same seat in 2014.
It was around this time in 2014 we learned Bartolomei's clients were seeking a total of more than $2.6 billion in damages from Gabryszak, his Chief of Staff, the State Assembly and others.
In Sept. of this year, we reached out to the attorney's office about his representation of Farah numerous times and again Wednesday, seeking confirmation and a comment on the case. Our requests have not been answered.
On Sept. 28, Wozniak was scheduled to be the last person interviewed by an outside law professor brought in by the Assembly ethics committee to investigate Farah's claims.
Wozniak is represented by attorney Steven Cohen from HoganWillig Attorneys at Law. Cohen has spoken with us once on camera but says the Ethics Committee has since advised all parties to keep the proceedings confidential