ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – A judge is expected to rule on that soon Robert F. Kennedy Jr. falsely claimed to live in New York as the independent presidential candidate battles to get on the state ballot in November.
A non-jury trial in Albany over whether Kennedy’s New York nominations should be invalidated ended Thursday without an immediate ruling by Judge Christina Ryba. All decisions of the trial judge are expected to be appealed.
The voter lawsuit, backed by a Democratic-aligned PAC, alleged Kennedy’s state nomination petition incorrectly listed a residence in New York’s gritty northern suburbs, when in fact he has lived in the Los Angeles area since 2014, when he married the “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actress. Cheryl Hines.
If Kennedy’s petition is found to be invalid, the New York Board of Elections would remove him from the 2024 election, a board spokesman said. A fallout from the New York vote could also lead to lawsuits in other states where his campaign had the same address.
Kennedy, 70, has stated that her move to California a decade ago was only temporary and that she plans to move back to New York, where she has lived since she was 10 years old. He told reporters after the trial that those who signed his petition deserve a chance to vote for him.
“These Americans want to see me on the ballot. They want to vote,” he said.
Kennedy says he rents a room in a friend’s home in Katonah, about 40 miles north of downtown Manhattan. However, he testified that he has only slept in that room once, citing constant campaign travel.
In his closing arguments, attorney John Quinn said the evidence clearly shows that Kennedy lives in Los Angeles and that attempts to make him a New York resident were a “hoax.”
