The race for the District 30 City Council seat has grown increasingly contentious, with candidate Paul Pogozelski at odds with current Council Member Robert Holden and his Chief of Staff, Daniel Kurzyna, over allegations of misinformation and associations with past political figures.
Tensions escalated following a report by the New York Post, in which Holden criticized Pogozelski for briefly working with Robert Hornak, the former executive director of the Queens County Republican Party. Holden, who is not seeking re-election, has endorsed two members of his office—Alicia Vaichunas and Phil Wong—in the race and claimed that Pogozelski is misleading voters into believing he has Holden’s support.
“Paul Pogozelski is clearly operating from the dirty playbook crafted by the disgraced former members of the Queens Republican machine — lying about endorsements, attacking the character of residents, and taking credit for accomplishments he had nothing to do with,” Holden told the Post. “Now he’s brought one of its chief architects, Robert Hornak, directly into his campaign — an operative closely tied to former public officials with corruption issues and some who served prison time.”
Hornak was previously active in Queens GOP politics during a period when former vice chairman Vincent Tabone and ex-City Council Member Dan Halloran were arrested in connection to a $200,000 bribery scheme aimed at securing a Republican mayoral ballot line for Democratic State Senator Malcolm Smith in 2013. Hornak was never charged, but the others involved were convicted and sentenced to prison. Halloran was recently arrested again in Miami on charges related to child pornography.
Pogozelski confirmed he hired Hornak’s firm, Lexington Public Affairs, for consulting services in January but said the relationship ended within a month. “Council Member Holden’s statements are false and a reflection of how he operates in the district,” Pogozelski said. “I’m a moderate Democrat with traditional values. I’m here to bring new leadership to the district. My grassroots campaign is gaining traction even in Holden’s own backyard, showing that people are looking for a fresh face in local government.”
Hornak also responded, calling out what he described as hypocrisy on Holden’s part, referencing Holden’s 2017 campaign, which was backed by the Queens Republican Party after he lost the Democratic primary. “Apparently, Bob Holden doesn’t understand the saying about not throwing stones when living in a glass house or making false accusations of guilt based on past associations,” Hornak told the Post. “And working with members of the GOP is exactly what Bob did in 2017 when he turned to the Queens GOP for their endorsement after being rejected by Democrats.”
Pogozelski further rejected attempts to link him with Halloran, stating, “I don’t even know him.” He called the implication “a very disgusting far stretch.” He added, “Why am I being positioned to look like I was associated with a guy, who was associated with a guy, who was picked up in Miami?”
The candidate also criticized Kurzyna, accusing him of harassment through public social media comments and private messages. Pogozelski shared screenshots with QNS that show Kurzyna blaming him for attempting to discredit the office over the recent removal of the “spaceship bus” on Starr Street, warning him that it “wouldn’t work out well.”
On Facebook, Kurzyna has referred to Pogozelski’s supporters as “idiots” and called him a “snake oil salesman,” claiming in several posts that voters don’t “know the real Paul.”
Pogozelski has been accused of claiming an endorsement from Holden, which he continues to deny and insists is drawn from no evidence. Kurzyna contradicts this by claiming he was personally asked for the endorsement.
“This office has decided to fabricate information about me because they can’t find anything bad,” Pogozelski said. “They’re fishing in a dry pond and telling people they caught bass. This has to end. If they really want to go after me, they should go after my policies, like a normal political opponent would. I’m also a constituent, just like everyone else. I live here, and if this is how they treat people, then you can only imagine how they’ve treated others all this time.”
Kurzyna defended his stance, denying Pogozelski’s claims that he declined to run for office due to “skeletons in the closet.” He reaffirmed his support for Vaichunas and Wong, citing their experience in the community.
“Paul Pogozelski is a snake oil salesman who aligns himself with bad-faith actors and has made a name for himself lying about support, taking credit for things he didn’t do, and attacking voters to the point that he was banned from one of the largest local Facebook groups,” Kurzyna told QNS. “I hear from people daily who are disgusted by his behavior, his constant foot-in-mouth moments, and his habit of deflecting from his lackluster record with petty lies. If his plan is to aggravate voters, insult their intelligence, and fake momentum—he’s not just unfit for office, he’s a walking cautionary tale.”
