GOP Dirty Tricks to Deny Craig Johnson Third Party Lines

The Nassau Republicans are so desperate to defeat Sen. Craig Johnson they are doing whatever they can. Rick Brand from Newsday reports on attempts to take the Independence and Working Families Party lines from Johnson "Republicans have filed petitions for candidates who have never voted to run primaries against freshman State Sen. Craig Johnson on the Independence and Working Family party lines.

But Nicole Gadaleta, 23, of Manhasset, who filed 531 signatures to get on the Independence ballot line, more than double the 255 she needed, declined the nomination just before the end of the day Friday, leaving it to a party committee on vacancies to fill the line. Democrats say her Facebook listing indicates she is friends with Republican candididate Barbara Donno’s daughter.

The GOP also circulated petitions for Patrick Lilavois of Westbury to run on the Working Families Party line. He filed 44 signatures, and needed only 17. Among those who circulated petitions in an attempt to deny Johnson the minor parties' lines were GOP heavyweights, including North Hemsptead GOP leader Frank Maroney, Nassau GOP elections commissioner John DeGrace, former town supervisor John Kiernan, and Mineola Republican leader Jacki Carway, whose husband John ran for North Hempstead supervisor last year."