DNC-Backed Lawsuit Seeks to Bar RFK Jr. from New York Ballot Over Alleged Petition Fraud

Two New York residents, supported by the Democratic National Committee (DNC), have filed a lawsuit against Robert F. Kennedy Jr., aiming to prevent the independent presidential candidate from appearing on the November ballot in New York. The lawsuit, filed in the New York Supreme Court in Nassau County, alleges that Kennedy's campaign engaged in fraudulent activities and submitted invalid petition signatures. The plaintiffs, Elaine Portuondo Smith and Andrena Wyatt, claim that a significant portion of the signatures collected by Kennedy's campaign are invalid, falling short of the required threshold. They argue that many signatures lack necessary information or were collected under false pretenses. This legal action marks the first coordinated ballot-access challenge against Kennedy by the DNC, which has been closely monitoring his efforts to qualify for ballots nationwide. The Kennedy campaign has yet to respond to the allegations.