Queens Judge Dismisses Election Fraud Challenge Against Assemblymember Rajkumar Amid Forgery Allegations

In what is becoming a familiar pattern in New York politics, a Queens judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar’s place on the Democratic primary ballot, even as allegations of widespread petition signature forgery swirl around her campaign.

David Orkin, a lawyer backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, sued to disqualify Rajkumar from the June primary ballot. Orkin’s campaign claimed that at least seven of Rajkumar’s signature collectors had submitted forged signatures, accounting for roughly 70 percent of the signatures she used to qualify. New York election law requires candidates to submit at least 500 valid signatures from registered voters in their district, making these allegations potentially disqualifying.

But Queens Judge Denise Johnson refused to address the substance of these claims. Instead, she dismissed the case on procedural grounds, citing Orkin’s failure to properly serve the signature collectors and file the necessary paperwork with the court. This ruling effectively allowed Rajkumar to remain on the ballot without the alleged forgeries being examined in court.

Rajkumar hailed the decision as a victory over what she called “an ugly attempt by the Democratic Socialists of America to disenfranchise Queens voters,” accusing her opponent of trying to intimidate minority canvassers who represent “the future of our state.” Her legal team includes Frank Bolz and Gerard Sweeney, partners in a law firm with deep ties to the Queens Democratic Party and its judicial picks.

Orkin and his lawyer Renee Paradis fired back, accusing the Queens Democratic machine of railroading a grassroots campaign and denying them a fair chance to present evidence. Orkin lamented that the judge’s ruling prevented the questioning of signature collectors who might have shed light on the alleged fraud.

Among those whose names appeared forged on Rajkumar’s petitions were residents like Gray Kennedy, who legally changed their name last year and never signed the forms under their former name. Kennedy called the inclusion of their old name and signature “bizarre” and a clear violation. Molly Dektar, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, expressed similar outrage over seeing her name and address falsely attached to Rajkumar’s petitions.

The Queens Chronicle also reported that one of its editors’ signatures was forged on Rajkumar’s petitions, adding further fuel to the controversy.

Petition fraud allegations are not uncommon in New York elections, but they rarely lead to disqualification. This case underscores how procedural technicalities and political influence can shield candidates from accountability, even when serious questions about election integrity arise.

As the June primary approaches, voters in Queens deserve transparency and a thorough investigation into these claims, not a dismissal that silences alleged victims and protects entrenched political interests. The fight for fair elections continues, but the deck remains stacked against challengers who threaten the established order.