City Mayor Hires Bronx Legal Specialist to Examine Signatures Backing Independent Campaign
In a surprising turn of events, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has hired attorney Stanley Schlein to review the validity of nearly 50,000 signatures that helped him secure independent ballot lines for the upcoming elections.
The hiring comes after a website investigation revealed instances of forged signatures and people being tricked into signing Adams' petitions. At least three forged signatures were found to be from dead individuals.
The suit, which accused Schlein of adding names of candidates for county committee to petitions after collecting signatures, alleged that Schlein and his allies collected signatures on petitions and added names of candidates for county committee who had long moved out of the Bronx or were dead.
Schlein, who has ties to the Bronx Democratic political machine, was described as the "linchpin" in the scheme by the suit. He has extensive experience in ballot-access issues, according to attorney Vito Pitta, who stated that Schlein will investigate and submit a report to Adams' campaign.
Michael Blake, a former mayoral candidate and state assemblymember from the Bronx, has previously tangled with Schlein over the validity of signatures used to get on the ballot. In 2016, a lawsuit was filed against Schlein for allegedly trying to control the Bronx Democratic county committee by submitting fraudulent petitions with hundreds of forged signatures.
The tactic of running as an independent enabled Adams to avoid a crowded Democratic primary race. The Democratic primary race was shaping up as a referendum on the federal corruption charges Adams once faced and his growing ties to President Donald Trump.
Adams has responded to the website's findings by stating that bogus signatures are "part of the business" of politics. He vowed to stay in the race on Friday, despite widespread speculation that he might drop his re-election effort and accept a job in President Trump's administration.
Under New York state law, Adams needed to submit at least 7,500 signatures from voters who wanted him on the general election ballot as an independent. The mayor's campaign has not specified the candidate who previously hired Schlein to represent elected individuals from the Bronx accused of signature forgery in a court case.
Schlein denied wrongdoing in the case, arguing the plaintiffs misunderstood state election law and were attempting to "maliciously impugn" his integrity. Adams has not yet commented on Schlein's denial.
As the election approaches, the validity of the signatures and the mayor's association with Schlein are likely to become major issues in the campaign.
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