Judge rules Phillips‑Staley has enough valid signatures to stay on June primary ballot for US House race
Ruling finds more than 2,000 valid signatures and flags 501 allegedly fraudulent ones collected by a paid canvasser
A judge has ruled that Effie Phillips‑Staley has more than 2,000 valid signatures, allowing her to remain on the ballot for the June Democratic primary in New York's 17th Congressional District.
In the same decision, Acting State Supreme Court Judge David Fried found that 501 signatures collected by paid canvasser Dion McBean were fraudulent.
Fried referred his ruling to all district attorneys within the 17th Congressional District to investigate the instances of fraud.
News 12 reached out to the respective offices for comment. The Westchester District Attorney’s Office said it is reviewing it and noted that it has received similar referrals in the past.
Joann Stach, who lives in Valley Cottage, was recently told her name was on a Phillips-Staley petition collected by McBean. She filed a police report with Clarkstown, naming McBean, after learning her name had been used. She testified that it was not her signature.
“That's all you have in life, is your reputation and your name, and it belongs to me. Not to somebody to use fraudulently,” Stach told News 12 on Monday outside the Rockland County Courthouse.
The Phillips‑Staley campaign testified that it had hired an outside vendor to help secure additional signatures, and that McBean was one person hired through that vendor.
Responding to the judge’s referral, Phillips‑Staley said, “The campaign was the victim here. And you could count on [Rep.] Mike Lawler to try to blame the victim. And that's actually what the judge shut down.”
Lawler, who challenged the petitions, called for additional law enforcement agencies to investigate. “As well as the Southern District of New York - US Attorney - and the FBI - to investigate. This was a major fraud perpetrated upon the voters and there needs to be accountability,” he said.
Lawler is still deciding whether to appeal Fried’s decision.
Attempts to reach McBean for comment were unsuccessful.
