Off Again On Again:

A court decision resuscitated Councilman Allan Jennings hopes of defending his incumbency in the upcoming September primary.
A five-judge panel of the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court ruled that Jennings name should be reinstated on the Democratic primary ballot, a week after it was stricken on grounds of petition fraud, by a lower court.
Shortly after getting word, an invigorated Jennings held a press conference expressing his vindication from the verdict.
"Our campaign got over three thousand signatures to place my name on the ballot," trumpeted Jennings, denying any instances of fraud. "We did it the hard way and the best way; we went door to door."
Chaired by Judge Gail Prudenti, the five-judge panel stated Justice Janice Taylor of the Queens Supreme Court correctly ruled the Jennings camp had "some instances of irregularities" in designated petitions, but the total of these instances did not rise to the level of "permeated fraud."
The Queens Democratic Organization, which brought the initial motion to the Queens Supreme Court to strike the councilman from the ballot, expressed disappointment with the decisions reversal.
"Clearly the Appellate [Court] agreed that there were irregularities, unfortunately none sufficient to warrant fraud," said attorney Michael Reich, who represented the Democratic party. Reich said he and his associates are currently deciding on whether to appeal the verdict
During the trial at the lower level, Jennings was accused of fraud based on his staffs practice of designating petitions. Lawyers from the Queens Democratic Organization alleged inconsistencies in subscribing witnesses dates. They also alleged fraud based on the fact that almost every sheet of the petition had been altered to add the word "Queens" to each subscribing witness statement.
Also during the trial at the Queens Supreme Court level, two of Jennings staffers, William Struhs and Priestly Taylor, were charged with perjury. In one bizarre incident, while testifying, Priestly Taylor told the court he kept a personal diary during the period in which he collected signatures. When asked by Justice Taylor to produce the diary, the Jennings staffer refused. Upon his return the next day to testify, he stated he had no such diary. Under further direction to produce the diary, the staffer, after a lunch break, returned to the court with a blank personal diary he had purchased that afternoon at Staples.
As a result of the perjury, petitions collected under the supervision of Struhs and Taylor were later withdrawn by the councilman. Justice Taylor ruled the total number of irregularities amounted to fraud. However, the Appellate Court reversed this decision on August 21.
"It was a fishing expedition," said John Klotz, co-counsel for Jennings, after the Appellate Courts reversal. He stressed that the case against his client in no way demonstrated wrongdoing. "All they caught were a few minnows that the court tossed back."
Moreover, the Jennings camp said that adding "Queens" to each subscribing witness statement was not irregular, especially since the information was true. They added that the Democratic organization subpoenaed a large number of his staff and volunteers hoping to catch one in a contradiction about events that took place two months ago. "Mr. [Gerard] Sweeney [another plaintiff counsel] harassed senior citizens in the vain attempt to find one phony signature," said Jennings.
Councilman Oliver Koppell, a former state attorney general, who also served as counsel for his City Hall colleague, referred to the plaintiffs tactics as badgering the witness.
"The ruling was precisely correct," said Koppell about the Appellates reversal of the lower courts decision.
Showing no fear of her opponents reinstatement, Community Board 12 district leader and Democratic candidate Yvonne Reddick said, "I welcome him back." Reddick, steeled by the backing of the Queens Democratic Organization and the support of most elected officials in her district, said that she will beat Jennings on the issues. The candidate said the incumbent had done nothing during his term for the community.
"I gotta tell you, we are going to beat him at the ballot box," said Reich, confidently predicting Reddicks primary win on September 9. "Allan has the support of no one. Hes been an embarrassment for the community."
Jennings has made a name for himself as a maverick in City Council, often bucking partisan lines and clashing with leaders in the Queens Democratic Organization. The councilman, who has also helped to knock off rival candidates from the ballot, including Stephen Jones and Inderjit Singh, said his legal fees to get reinstated ran into the tens of thousands.
Though he vowed to put political squabbling aside and win the primary on the issues, Jennings, during the press conference where he proclaimed his return to the ballot, took some time to criticize the Queens Democratic Party: "I dont see this as a race against me and Yvonne Reddick." Referring to party members Thomas Manton, Michael Reich, Frank Boltz and Gerard Sweeney, the councilman continued,"Its between me and the four men who control the Democratic Party. They control the party for their own personal wealth and gain."