© 2024 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
WBFO Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Your NPR Station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

New York State Supreme Court throws out campaign finance lawsuit against Lee Zeldin

Lee Zeldin is the presumed Republican nominee for New York governor.
Jacquelyn Martin
/
AP Photo
Lee Zeldin is the presumed Republican nominee for New York governor.

New York State Supreme Court justices have tossed Harry Wilson’slawsuit against his fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin. Wilson alleged that Zeldin violated campaign finance laws earlier this month.

The court dismissed Wilson’s claims that Zeldin’s campaign wrongly exceeded the limit on how much donors can contribute to a single candidate before a primary election.

“The cause of action alleged by petitioner is not justifiable as it has no basis in law or fact,” Justice Richard J. McNally Jr. wrote in the court's order.

TheBoard of Elections Campaign Finance Unit found that Zeldin transferred over $720,000 from a separate account that he holds with lieutenant governor candidate Alison Esposito into his campaign.

Federal campaign financefilings show that Zeldin also raised around $38,000 through his campaign for Congress in the beginning of the year and transferred $75,000 to his account for New York governor in January.

“The Board of Elections told Harry Wilson he was wrong, now the Supreme Court of New York told Harry Wilson he was wrong and on June 28, Republican Party primary voters are going to show Harry Wilson just how wrong he is at the ballot box,” said Zeldin for New York spokesperson Katie Vincentz in a statement.

Early voting in New York started over the weekend and runs through June 28 for the primary election.