Supreme Court questions Koo’s candidacy

Lawyers for Republican State Senate candidate Peter Koo were at the State Supreme Court trying to save his candidacy after Supreme Court Judge James Dollard ruled that a petition to knock Koo off the ballot filed by his opponent State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky was valid.
Dollard’s ruling suggested that Koo’s primary place of residency during the past year has not been in the Senate District, but rather in Port Washington, thereby prohibiting him from running for the seat.
“Peter Koo’s candidacy is a sham,” said Joe Reubens, a spokesperson for Stavisky’s re-election campaign.
Stavisky, who represents the 16th District in the Senate, filed the petition against Koo and the New York City Board of Elections, and Dollard’s decision brought into question Koo’s credibility when he testified.
“From his demeanor on the stand, the manner in which he gave his testimony, his evasiveness and the inconsistency in his testimony, the court finds the respondent [Koo] not to be a credible witness,” Dollard wrote as part of his eight-page decision.
However, Koo’s Campaign Manager Oliver Tan said on Tuesday, August 19, that Koo’s lawyers are encouraged that some of their appeals may be granted and the Judge Dollard’s ruling overturned.
“The Stavisky camp and the Parkside Group are known for dirty tricks so we were not surprised they tried this,” said Oliver Tan, Koo’s campaign manager. “They want to take the election out of the voters’ hands and put it in the hands of the courts.”
Meanwhile, Tan said that it is not clear when the Judge may issue a decision on Koo’s appeals, but he does not believe the controversy has had any effect on campaign efforts.
“We have been going full speed the whole time,” Tan said. “This case has given us a lot of momentum and it showed that Stavisky is scared.”