Queens Assemblywoman Forged Ballot Signatures, Rival Alleges

QUEENS, NY — A candidate for State Assembly in Queens is alleging that his rival — a 30-year incumbent — filed forged signatures in an effort to get on the ballot in this year's primary election, according to a new lawsuit.

The suit was filed Monday by Anthony Andrews, a college professor and district leader who is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 32nd Assembly District, covering Jamaica, South Jamaica and Rochdale. He is challenging Vivian Cook, who has held the seat since 1991 and is seeking another term.

Cook and Andrews, like all candidates, had to spend the last few weeks collecting signatures from hundreds of registered voters in the district in order to appear on the June 28 primary ballot.

But Andrews alleges that the designating petition that Cook's campaign submitted to the Board of Elections on April 4 contained a slew of problems: an inadequate number of valid signatures, incorrect dates and addresses, signatures from people who are not registered Democrats — and most notably, signatures that were forged or obtained through other fraudulent methods, according to the lawsuit.

The suit does not contain any examples, and Andrews's attorney did not respond to a request for details.

Cook's campaign spokesperson strongly disputed the claims, calling the lawsuit "another attempt by a desperate candidate who has already shown his true colors by lying and misleading Cook supporters about his true intentions to run."

That refers to recent reporting by City & State, describing how Andrews solicited donations from Cook's supporters by saying he was seeking another term as Democratic district leader — only to put those funds toward his campaign against Cook, his former mentor.

"It is truly disheartening to see this candidate employ such tactics and to run against his own political mother. The allegations he has made against Ms. Cook are unequivocally false," Cook's campaign added.

A judge has scheduled a Monday hearing to discuss the lawsuit with Cook, Andrews and the Board of Elections, which is also named as a defendant in the suit.

This year's petitioning process has already been roiled by allegations of fraud directed at the Brooklyn Democratic Party, amid reports by THE CITY that the party had filed dubious signatures in an effort to boot rival candidates from the primary ballot.

Though Cook has faced scant primary challenges over the years, she lags far behind Andrews in fundraising as he mounts a vigorous challenge, as City & State first reported.