(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Talking to Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) President Richard Lipsitz about an announced visit by Steve Bannon to help boost the re-election chances of indicted U.S. Congressman Chris Collins, it does not appear that Area Unionists are worried about the Republicans sending in a “second teamer” to campaign for “the most corrupt Congressman Western New York has ever had.”

“We’re ‘appreciative’ that (local Republican Operative) Michael Caputo would bring (Bannon) in ‘to support an indicted felon,’ because (Bannon) ‘is the architect and strategist of the Trump Administration,’” Lipsitz told WNYLaborToday.com. 

“They are ‘providing sympathy to one of the most corrupt’ Congressmen (Western New York) ‘has ever had here.’  ‘It is also important to note’ the Republicans are sending in a ‘second teamer’ and ‘not’ the president or vice president (in support of Collins),” he said.

Bannon will travel to Elma, just outside Buffalo, this coming Wednesday (October 24th) for an event being held at a Fire Hall. 

A fundraiser for Republican New York State Assemblyman David DiPietro at the famed Roycroft Inn in East Aurora was squashed by locals who wanted no part of the so-called National Standard Bearer Bannon, which they feared would tarnish the Roycroft name around the world.

“The Mid-Term Election is a ‘referendum’ and Congressman Collins ‘has disqualified himself’ in this election,” said Lipsitz, who’d just taken part in a suburban discussion Thursday (October 18th) evening on racism and intolerance, which drew 125 people of all ethnic backgrounds.

Democrat and Grand Island Supervisor Nate McMurray has been endorsed by Organized Labor, which is now heavily involved with boots-on-the-ground actions across the 27th Congressional District to further support McMurray, who has come from way back to forge a tie with Collins in recent polls.  With momentum swinging to McMurray, Labor knows its get-out-the-vote campaign just might make the difference between victory and defeat.

In response to Republican Operative Caputo’s public comments that Bannon was looking to support a Red Tide, a term created to offset the Democrats’ expected Blue Wave wins during the November Mid-Term Election, which would restore a check-and-balance system to a Republican-controlled Congress, Senate and White House, all Lipsitz could do was laugh.

“There a ‘red tide’ in Florida.  I believe it is ‘killing’ thousands and thousands of fish and aquatic life,” he laughingly said - in a veiled prediction of what a Red Tide just might do to the GOP.

On another front, the WNYALF released the following statement in regards to the Bannon visit:

Erie County Republicans and the Chris Collins Campaign have organized an event that features Steve Bannon and his message of White Nationalism.

It is fitting that a campaign that support a sitting Congressman who has been indicted on serious charges of insider trading and lying to Federal Enforcement Agents is bringing the mastermind of the Trump Program to the 27th Congressional District.

This is a desperate attempt to hold on to his seat.

What better example could there be that this seat is in play.

Collins was the first member of Congress to endorse Donald Trump.

He has been his number one cheerleader on a regular basis since January 20th, 2017.

Now he stands indicted of a serious Federal crime.

He has used his office to enrich himself and his family.

He had not lifted a finger to help the people of his district and now he must wait until early 2020 to even stand trial.

What a mockery!

Our WNYALF has endorsed Nate McMurray and we think he will make a fine Congressman.

We are working overtime to make this goal a reality.

We call upon all our Membership and all our friends to redouble your efforts in these last two weeks of the campaign, to walk with us, to talk to your friend and to support the campaign financially.

The entire country is watching!

Let us show the way and elect Nate McMurray to the 27th.