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Two Progressive Party officials plead guilty to illegal campaign coordination

Two political operatives in Erie County have pleaded guilty to election law crimes.

The New York State Attorney General's Office announced that Kristy Mazurek, 47, and David Pfaff, 59, admitted they engaged in illegal campaign coordination while they were acting on behalf of the Western New York Progressive Caucus in the September 2013 Democratic primary. Campaign coordination is a crime under Election Law.

"On behalf of the Western New York Progressive Caucus, Mazurek and Pfaff sought input from an Erie County legislative candidate with respect to campaign literature and a photo shoot," said state AG Barbara Underwood. "Western New York Progressive Caucus paid expenses on behalf of the candidate that exceeded the $1,476.50 contribution limit of that race by over $16,500."

The guilty pleas involved misdemeanor charges. Both Mazurek and Pfaff will not serve any jail time. They will receive a conditional discharge if they remain out of trouble for a year.

The WNY Progressive Caucus was created by Steven Pigeon and Mazurek in August 2013 as an independent expenditure committee designed to support Democratic candidates in the 2013 Democratic Primary.

Tuesday's pleas follow a September 2018 guilty plea to bribery in the third degree by Pigeon in his Election Law indictment. Pigeon is awaiting sentencing. 

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