Democratic Assemblyman Philip Ramos has gone to court to knock eleventh-hour Republican contender Waldo Cabrera off the ballot.
The Central Islip lawmaker got a show-cause order from State Supreme Court Justice Donald Blydenburgh in Riverhead to disqualify the Cabrera’s nominating petitions, which had only 16 signatures over the 500 minimum needed to qualify for the ballot. The foes are scheduled to appear in court Aug. 1.
Ramos' action came after the Suffolk Board of Elections threw out objections which claimed that 70 signatures were invalid because the person raising the objections was not a voter in Suffolk county.
"I think Ramos is ttrying to keep voters from choosing," said Cabrera, 39, of Brentwood, a first-time candidate who is in the import- export business. "He should let the voters decide."
Rick Brand