New York State Supreme Court justices have tossed Harry Wilson’s lawsuit 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 justiciable as it has no basis in law or fact,” Justice Richard J. McNally Jr. wrote in the court's order.
The Board 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 finance filings 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.
Wilson’s campaign said in a statement that it will continue pursuing civil action through the state Board of Elections.
Early voting in New York started over the weekend and runs through June 28 for the primary election.
