Fourth District Legislature race erupts

May 19—NIAGARA FALLS — The lines of the Niagara County Legislature's Fourth District run entirely within the city of Niagara Falls.

It is an urban, largely inner-city district with a minority population that approaches 80%.

It has been represented for a decade by Democrat Legislator Owen Steed, who was born and raised and has lived his entire life there. Before Steed, the district's representative was lifelong Falls resident and Democrat Renae Kimble.

But as the 2021 primary election season kicks into full gear, a candidate has emerged who seems to be an odd fit for the district.

Nicholas Pasceri doesn't live in the district, he lives in Lockport. He's not a minority and he has a history of ties to the Niagara County Republican Party.

Up until February, Pasceri had been a registered Republican. He changed his registration to the Working Families Party then and he's now running in the Working Families Party primary against that party's endorsed Fourth District Legislature candidate, Jeffrey Elder.

There is no endorsed Republican candidate on the ballot in the district.

Steed, the endorsed Democratic candidate for the seat faces a primary challenge for that line from Elder. He also, for the first time in his political career, has been endorsed by the Niagara County Conservative Party, a party with close connections to the GOP.

The longtime legislator told the Gazette he received the Conservative Party backing after the Working Families Party chose to endorse Elder. A decision that Steed said was motivated by his endorsement, in 2020, of Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti.

Elder says Pasceri is a trojan horse candidate looking to interfere in an election he should not be involved in.

"We're not sure who's behind it," Elder said. "But it's the same thing that's going on around the country. He's looking to throw a monkey wrench (into the primary election)."

Pasceri did not return multiple phone calls seeking comment on his improbable run for a seat on the county legislature representing a district he doesn't currently live in. In order to legally represent the Fourth District, Pasceri would have to move there from Lockport.

Elder called on Steed to "denounce" the apparent carpetbagging.

"They want (Pasceri) to run because they're worried about me," Elder said. "(Steed) is an incumbent who hasn't been challenged in years. If Owen Steed doesn't want to denounce what they're doing, it should be brought to the attention of everybody."

Reached by phone Tuesday night, Steed denied knowing anything about Pasceri's challenge.

"I don't even know who was running (in the Working Families primary) besides (Elder)," Steed said.

Pressed by a reporter to share some view about Pasceri's candidacy, Steed said, "I don't know this guy. I don't know who's running."

Steed did, in December, vote in favor as a member of the county legislature on the appointment of Pasceri's wife, Richelle, to the position of confidential secretary in the county's assigned counsel/conflict defender's office.

While Elder did not specifically suggest that Niagara County Republicans might be involved in the Pasceri candidacy, a check of his Working Families Party nominating petitions shows they were witnessed by a North Tonawanda lawyer known to be a party activist.

And Steed's predecessor in the legislature minced no words in describing the primary election maneuvering.

"I guess, obviously, Owen is supported by the GOP. He's running with their support," Kimble said.

Kimble said she recognizes what's at play in the primary. A decade ago, the Niagara County Republican party endorsed a non-minority candidate living on Grand Island to run against her.

She called Pasceri's candidacy a form of "voter suppression."

"They should not be putting their thumbs on the scale and let the residents of the Fourth District decide," Kimble said."This is a voter suppression tactic. Let (Elder and Steed) run their race and let the voters decide."