An apparent heart attack killed former Monroe County Republican chair Steve Minarik on Sunday. FILE PHOTO
Steve Minarik, the controversial and divisive former head of the county GOP, has died. He was 49.
Minarik lead the party from 1992 to 2008, when he was asked by Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks to resign.
Minarik was state party chair from 2004 to 2006, but, faced with Democratic "stars" like then-US Senator Hillary Clinton and former Governor Eliot Spitzer, he had a difficult time bringing his local success to a larger stage.
Under Minarik's leadership, Republicans have held the County Legislature and, for a long time, Republicans dominated in the suburbs. But that has begun to change.
Minarik's old-school, iron-fisted style of leadership, however, raised questions of "pay for play" and cut short any rare attempt at bipartisanship.
Comments for "Steve Minarik dies" (4)
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Louis Richards said on Apr. 12, 2009 at 5:31pm
Unfortunately, the kindest remarks I can say about Steve Minarik is that he was mean-spirited, divisive and, frequently, nasty & abusive in his remarks, others may disagree.
However, I did not create his legacy; he did, through his actions.
Dave Wilkerson said on Apr. 13, 2009 at 12:21pm
And if he had to deal with you and your cold spirited attack on a man after he passed I don't blame him.
Samuel L Kent said on Apr. 14, 2009 at 4:57pm
Everyone dies, no one controls this. Because he died doesn't mean we must all of a sudden bestow upon a person praise that he has not earned, though that is the hypocritical custom. I'm sorry for those who loved him and their loss. I did not.
Danny Dangla said on Apr. 17, 2009 at 3:33pm
Minarik should be highly praised for being such a thorn in the side of the National Socialist party ... err .. I mean the Democrats (same thing).
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