A judge in New York ruled on Monday that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. falsely claimed a New York residence on nominating petitions, leading to the invalidation of the documents necessary for him to be on the ballot in the state. Judge Christina Ryba’s decision, following a brief trial in state court, is expected to be appealed. If upheld, it would exclude Kennedy from the New York ballot and potentially spark challenges in other states where he used a New York City suburb address to collect signatures.
The lawsuit, supported by a Democrat-aligned political action committee, alleged that Kennedy inaccurately listed a residence in Katonah in his state nominating petition, despite residing in the Los Angeles area since marrying “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor Cheryl Hines in 2014. Kennedy defended during the trial that he has significant ties to New York and has plans to return.
While testifying during the trial that lasted less than four days, Kennedy asserted that he has had connections to New York since he was 10 years old and currently rents a room in Katonah but rarely stays there due to frequent campaign travel. He explained that his move to California years ago was to be with his wife and that his intention was always to come back to New York, where he is a registered voter.
Witnesses at the trial included Barbara Moss, the individual renting a room to Kennedy, who confirmed he pays $500 monthly without a formal lease. A longtime friend of Kennedy’s also testified that Kennedy had been an overnight guest at his Westchester home but was not a tenant there as Kennedy had claimed. Attorneys representing several New York voters grilled Kennedy, highlighting discrepancies in his California address on official documents and a social media video mentioning activities at his Los Angeles residence.
Despite the legal challenges, Kennedy’s presidential campaign has amassed enough signatures to qualify in many states, although obstacles have arisen in states like North Carolina and New Jersey. The lawsuit in New York was filed by Clear Choice, a super PAC, on behalf of voters in the state. Kennedy expressed disappointment at the possibility of being removed from the New York ballot, emphasizing the desire of those who signed his petitions to have him as a choice this election season.
