ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. A judge ruled Monday that Kennedy Jr.’s name should not appear on New York’s ballot.
Kennedy’s attorneys on Monday vowed to file an appeal ahead of the Aug. 15 deadline. If the judge’s ruling is upheld, it would not only keep Kennedy off the ballot in New York, but could lead to challenges in other states, where he used an address in the New York City suburbs to collect signatures.
In her 34-page ruling, Judge Christina Ryba said the bedroom Kennedy claimed to be his home in the state was “not a bona fide and legitimate residence, but a fictitious address he assumed for the purpose of maintaining his constituents.” Registration” and promoting his political candidacy.
“The court finds the size and appearance of the spare bedroom, as shown in the photographs admitted into evidence, to be highly unlikely, if not impossible, that Kennedy could return to that bedroom to stay with his wife, family members, several pets and his personal belongings,” the judge wrote.
Raiba said evidence presented at trial showed Kennedy had a “long-standing pattern” of borrowing money from friends and relatives so he could maintain his voter registration in New York state while actually living in California.
“The use of a friend’s address for political and voting purposes, while setting foot on campus, does not amount to residence under the Elections Act,” the judge wrote. “To hold otherwise would establish a dangerous precedent and open the door to fraud and political mischief designed to prevent electoral law residency rules.”
Clear Choice Action, which supported the legal challenge, said Monday’s ruling made clear that Kennedy “lied about his residency, provided a false address on his New York filings and candidacy petitions, intentionally misled election officials and betrayed the trust of voters.” “
Supported by a Democratic-affiliated political action group, Kennedy’s state nomination petition falsely listed Kennedy as a resident of the Los Angeles area since 2014, when he was married to “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor Cheryl Hynes. The lawsuit says.
Kennedy argued during the trial that he had a lifelong relationship with New York and wanted to move back.
During the less than four-day hearing, Kennedy said he began living in New York when he was 10 years old and currently rents a room at a friend’s house in Katonah, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of Midtown Manhattan. . However, Kennedy testified that he slept in the room only once because of his constant campaign travel.
The 70-year-old candidate testified that he moved to California a decade ago so he could be with his wife, and that he always planned to return to New York, where he was registered to vote.
Barbara Moss, who rents the room to Kennedy, testified that he pays her $500 a month. But he admitted that there was no written lease and that Kennedy’s first payment was not made until after the New York Post. Published a story Kennedy’s claim that he lived at that address raised suspicions.
The judge heard from a longtime friend of Kennedy’s that the candidate was an overnight guest at his own Westchester home from 2014 to 2017, but was not a tenant there, as Kennedy claimed.
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Lawyers representing several New York voters grilled Kennedy in often heated exchanges, pointing to government documents including a federal report on the candidacy with a California address and a social media video of Kennedy training his crows. Los Angeles home.
Kennedy has the potential to do better than any independent presidential candidate in decades Popular name and A Loyal basis. Both Democratic and Republican strategists have expressed concern that he could hurt their candidate’s chances.
Kennedy’s campaign said it had enough signatures to qualify in a majority of states, but his ballot drive faced several challenges and lawsuits. North Carolina And New Jersey.
Clear Choice filed the New York lawsuit on behalf of several voters in the state.
Kennedy told reporters last week that getting off the ballot in New York could lead to lawsuits in other states where his campaign listed the same address.
After Thursday’s hearing, Kennedy argued that those who signed his petitions deserved to vote for him.
“Those Americans want to see me on the ballot. They want to have a choice,” he said.
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Marcelo reported from East Meadow, NY Associated Press writer Michael Cisak contributed to this report.
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