Default or Defraud?: Luthmann Slams Judge Castorina’s Campaign Shenanigans in Court Filing
Ex-Lawmaker Turned Deadbeat Judge Faces Default Judgment as Luthmann Exposes Alleged Fraud and Evasion Tactics
By M. Thomas Nast with Richard Luthmann
Richard Luthmann is turning up the heat on New York State Supreme Court Justice Ronald Castorina, Jr., alleging a pattern of deceit, mismanagement, and evasion tied to Castorina’s defunct political campaign committee. In a fiery reply to the court, Luthmann paints Castorina as a “Deadbeat Judge” attempting to dodge liability by shuttering his committee.
The case before New York State Supreme Court Justice Louis L. Nock has sparked accusations of fraud, incompetence, and legal hypocrisy.
Luthmann, representing himself pro se, filed for a default judgment against Castorina’s campaign committee for past services rendered, arguing the former lawmaker cannot escape liability by claiming the committee no longer exists.
“Castorina’s notion that closing a committee means absolution of its debts is not only legally flawed but laughably incompetent,” Luthmann argued in his filing.
Castorina’s “Ineptitude and Frivolity”
At the heart of Luthmann’s motion is the claim that Castorina, a former New York Assemblyman and ex-Commissioner for the New York City Board of Elections, should know better.
“This man is a sitting Supreme Court Justice,” Luthmann said. “If anyone understands the fiduciary duties under campaign finance law, it’s supposed to be him. Instead, we’re treated to this sideshow of ineptitude and frivolity.”
Luthmann’s filing points to precedent under New York Business Corporation Law, arguing that terminated entities, including campaign committees, remain liable for activities conducted during their active period.
“Ronnie wants to pretend his committee is ‘all dead,’ but in reality, it’s only ‘mostly dead,’” Luthmann quipped, citing Miracle Max from The Princess Bride.
Campaign Finance Shenanigans
According to court documents, Luthmann alleges that Castorina’s committee mishandled funds, failed to disclose key expenditures, and engaged in fraudulent conduct during its operation.
“Castorina closed the committee to avoid accountability,” Luthmann claimed. “But fraud has no statute of limitations, especially when public trust and taxpayer money are at stake.”
The accusations stem from campaign finance filings submitted during Castorina’s tenure as a state assemblyman. Luthmann asserts that irregularities in these filings may warrant scrutiny under New York’s False Claims Act, which allows claims for fraud to proceed even years after the misconduct is discovered.
A “Deadbeat Judge”?
Luthmann did not mince words, branding Castorina as the “Deadbeat Judge” in his filing.
“Castorina’s behavior is the epitome of a public servant shirking responsibility,” Luthmann wrote. “If this is how he handles his own affairs, we don’t have to imagine the integrity of his rulings from the bench. Ron, we all know.”
Luthmann further argued that Castorina’s appearance to oppose the motion serves as an admission of liability. “By appearing in court, he acknowledges the campaign committee’s existence and its obligations. You can’t have it both ways,” Luthmann said.
Legal Missteps and Hypocrisy
Luthmann’s submission dismantled Castorina’s legal defenses, calling them “premature, baseless, and bordering on the absurd.”
Castorina’s claim that the committee’s termination renders it immune from lawsuits is contradicted by clear case law, Luthmann argued. He also criticized Castorina for attempting to dodge responsibility while holding himself out as a paragon of judicial integrity.
“Ron Castorina, Jr. argues that the New York State Board of Elections’ final audit report is the end-all. But his interpretation invites systemic abuse, letting bad actors evade accountability simply by filing compliance paperwork,” Luthmann said. “Deadbeat Kamillah Hanks says the same thing about her 2017 NYC Council Campaign finances, where my papers and complaints to the Campaign Finance Board show clear fraud on New York City taxpayers.”
Luthmann says it’s more than enough for the NYC CFB to give Hanks’ 2025 NYC Council Race 8 to 1 matching funds the “death penalty.”
“They already did it to Eric Adams. Don’t be surprised if Kamillah’s on that conga line. Plenty in City Hall want to see her go,” Luthmann said.
A well-known Manhattan Democratic Consultant echoed Luthmann’s sentiments.
“I heard Kevin and Kamillah were on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, and I’m glad to hear they’re ok. I would tell them to save their money because they may be self-funding this year’s campaign. But Kevin throws quarters like you and I throw around manhole covers. I heard they were walking around the Big Easy with one hurricane and two straws,” the consultant said.
What’s Next?
Luthmann is asking the court to grant a default judgment against Castorina and his campaign committee, a decision that could open the door to an inquest into damages.
“This isn’t just about money anymore,” Luthmann said. “They all had their chance to get this done for nickels on the dollar with the collections attorney. Kevin Barry Love threatened the guy off the case. Now, I only want three things: sworn depositions under oath, perjury responses, and their skulls as trophies.”
For Staten Island voters, the case serves as a window into the ethics of their elected officials.
“Is this the kind of man we want sitting on the Supreme Court bench?” said a member of the Richmond County Republican Committee who did not wish to be named. “A man who thinks closing a committee erases its sins?”
A Question of Integrity
As the legal battle unfolds, Castorina’s judicial credibility hangs in the balance. With Luthmann promising to pursue justice relentlessly, the case could become a referendum on political accountability and ethical governance in New York.
“This isn’t just about Castorina. His reputation is shot,” Luthmann concluded. “It’s about ensuring the system works for the people, not for self-serving politicians.”
The court is expected to rule on the motion in the coming weeks. Until then, Castorina and the New York State Courts’ reputation remains on trial.
Wish he was alone, and court of public opinion was all powerful, but alas this will be heard by a peer or peers that have their own baggage and skeletons in closets. Rampant vote buying schemes are integral part of the courts mode operundi. I celebrate you nailing it down, We The People are drowning in this swamp slime, the impossible task of finding a righteous judge, or branch of government not derelict of duty to actually hold to account, not take kick backs for pardons, or cush sentencing hand slaps, fall guys, red herrings so business goes on as usual...Mafia style. 😡