Here’s the ethics complaint filed against state Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer as first reported by The Buffalo News.

The complaint was filed by Michelle McCulloch, a former aide to Ranzehofer who claimed she was fired because she supports Republican congressional candidate David Bellavia.

In the filing, McCulloch claims she was coerced to handle petitions of Bellavia’s rival in the GOP primary for the seat, former Erie County Executive Chris Collins.

Ranzenhofer has denied the allegations and called McCulloch’s firing a “personnel matter.”

But at least one person seem surprised that McCulloch was with Bellavia’s campaign: Erie County Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy.

“Really?” Langworthy texted McCulloch, according to the documents filed with the Joint Commission on Public Ethics.

“Really what?” McCulloch wrote back.

“Bellavia?” he responded.

McCulloch goes on to note that her home county’s Republican committee sided with Bellavia in its endorsement.

Ranzenhofer Complaint

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