Lawmaker Bill Nojay served the 133rd Assembly District in the Rochester area for only four years. However, fellow Assemblyman David DiPietro says that Nojay made a significant impression in Albany in that brief spell of time. Nojay and DiPietro joined the Assembly in 2012, and DiPietro saw Nojay quickly gain the respect of his Albany colleagues.
"When he spoke on the floor, everyone stopped to listen. He didn't speak much, but when he did, it was usually something funny, or insightful and passionate, and people would all stop to listen to hear his argument. Again, I can't say that for about ninety percent of the rest of the Assembly, but for Bill, he commanded a lot of respect."
Nojay took his own life on Friday morning. He stood as a strong conservative voice in Albany, becoming an early supporter of Donald Trump's campaign. Nojay and 3 former business partners were facing a complaint of criminal fraud in connection with a business they once owned in Cambodia.
