Castro-Blanco Files Lawsuit Challenging Lesnick’s Independence Petitions

Jim Castro-Blanco

Council President Chuck Lesnick

Jim Castro-Blanco, the Republican candidate for Yonkers City Council President, has filed a lawsuit challenging the petitions submitted for Democrat Chuck Lesnick to appear on the Independence Party ballot.

Lesnick submitted 345, of which 241 are being challenged by Castro-Blanco who in his lawsuit claims that Lesnick’s petitions are ‘permeated with fraud’ which is a frequently used term in election law aimed at having the Judge throw out all of the petitions because of widespread invalid signatures.

Lesnick’s petitons are challenged for a variety of reasons, including that the signor is not a registered Indepenent, is a registered member of another party, the signature is not the same as the buff card signature, that the signature is a duplicate of another signature obtained by CB before Lesnick.

These are legitimate challenges that have a chance of being thrown out in court. Other less likely challenges include that the signature is illegible, there is no first or last name in the signature, the signature was printed and not signed.

It is difficult to weed out these two categories, but here’s our best shot

I-There are at least 130 good legal challenges to Lesnick’s Ind petitons, but this only gets Lesnick down to 215 signatures, and he need to keep 186.

II-Lesnick personally collected over 100 signatures and CB is challenging over 70 of the 100, most because they aren’t registered Ind and that they are registered to another party.

Lesnick, a Democrat, collected signatures for himself, which he is entitled to do as a notary. The rules for collecting as a notary are different, with the petition carrier required to ’swear in’ each signor and ask them if they are a registered Independent.

We will find out when the case will be heard in White Plains, and whether Lesnick plans on challenging Castro-Blancos petitions.

The kaos in the Ind party began when County Ind Chair Dr. Giulio Cavallo and Yonkers Ind Chair Dhyalma Vazquez, reversed course, having given Lesnick the Ind line for CCP months ago, but recently giving Castro-Blanco a Wilson Pakula, allowing him the right to ballot.

A review of Castro-Blanco’s petitions show that he was out collecting signatures weeks ago, which is a sign that Dr. Cavallo, was hedging his bet in this race for a while.

In a very close race, the Independence line can tip the balance to the winner. If Lesnick gets the Ind line, he is almost guaranteed victory in November. If Castro-Blanco gets the line we have a real race in November.

Jacono Taking Heat as Zehy Jereis Rejoins Yonkers GOP as a District Leader

right-Yonkers GOP Chair Jacono on the hot seat

Ladies and gentleman, the return and attempted rehabilitation of Zehy Jereis is complete. Rising Times has learned that Jereis is now a district leader for the Yonkers GOP.

Chairman John Jacono had to have signed off on the appointment of Jereis, who left Yonkers politics in disgrace, after serving as Yonkers GOP chairman for a few years. Jereis has been convicted of elections fraud and possession of a couple of pounds of marajuana  in his youth.

Mayor Phil Amicone led the call for Jereis to step down, to be replaced by Jacono, who while having brought stability and legitimacy back to the Yonkers GOP over the past 2 years, may have given it all back by allowing Jereis to return.

MANY, MANY YONKERS REPUBLICANS ARE BAFFLED BY THIS MOVE-”What the heck is Jacono thinking? He just let the wolf back into the hen house.”

Some are blaming the appointment of Jereis on Nick Spano, who together with brother Mike, are being blamed for everything but the rainy summer season in Westchester politics, with the cause being to pave the way for Mike to run for Mayor in 2011. Jacono and Spano are both in the Real Estate business together at the same company.

Rising times hears forces are already at work to remove Jacono as City GOP leader because of the Jereis debacle. This move also highlights the split in the Yonkers GOP between the forces loyal to the Mayor, and others loyal to Nick Spano.

One name being tossed out as a replacement to Jacono is former City Councilman Carlo Calvi. Calvi has been out of politics for a few years, but has been coming out of hibernation in recent months.

Jereis is also said to be working on the campaign of Sandy Annabi, who is running for county legislator against Jose Alvarado. But Annabi is a Democrat, and is once again being advised by Republican Zehy Jereis. Could this would also mean that Virginia Perez, who is running in partnership with Annabi for City Council 2nd District and Annabi’s old seat, is also seeking counsel from Zehy?

Let’s also remember that Jereis disappeared from Westchester for a year + to operate a car wash in Brooklyn. Massive speculation had Jereis taking a forced exile due to the Feds investigaiton of political corruption here in Westchester.