By Mark Hallum
The state Sen. Toby Stavisky’s (D-Flushing) campaign is firing back at primary opponent S.J. Jung by calling on the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics to investigate his tardiness in filing an annual statement of financial disclosure with the agency.
The seven-term senator issued a press release saying candidates for elected office statewide must have their finances filed with JCOP, and Jung has passed the Aug. 1 deadline. Financial filings are required to be submitted by candidates within 10 days after they submit petitions to run.
Jung’s campaign, however, claims he did not receive notification to submit filings until a much later date than usual. But, according to a statement by the campaign, Jung requested an extension at which time the state agency told him to file as soon as possible. The finances are still waiting to be submitted.
Jung, a community leader, filed objections with the city Board of Elections, challenging the validity of Stavisky’s petitions and attempting to have her thrown off the ballot. The board found an adequate amount of signatures for her to run once again, ruling in Stavisky’s favor last week. She did not challenge Jung’s petitions.
“We requested the latest filings from JCOPE and it seems the most recent filings from S.J. Jung were from 2013, not 2015. It’s ironic S.J. campaigns on ethics and good government yet can’t follow the law.,” Stavisky campaign manager Veronic Ng said in a statement. “S.J.’s continued failure to obey the law has once again proven that the people of Queens cannot trust him.”
Stavisky said Jung failed to file a proper report on $20,000 in campaign spending, which resulted in a 2009 citation from the city, marking a trend for the candidate who denied this had ever happened. A statement from Jung said the city Campaign Finance Board determined he was in compliance with campaign finance law at the time. He claimed Stavisky had tried to use this information against his efforts to win the same seat in the 2014 Democratic primary in which Jung received 41 percent of the vote.
“We are disappointed that Sen. Stavisky and her team would once again engage in negative attacks,” said Kyle Sullivan, Jung,’s campaign manager. She called the accusation a “desperate and hypocritical” stab at diverting voter attention. The primary is scheduled for Sept. 13.
Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhall
