Election Showdown: EDNY Judge Morrison to Preside Over U.S. Senate Candidate Cara Castronuova's Ballot Battle

U.S. Senate Candidate Castronuova Seeks Emergency Injunction Hearing to Halt the Petitioning Process

Brooklyn Federal Court Judge Nina R. Morrison was appointed to the Eastern District of New York in August 2022. Before her appointment, Judge Morrison spent twenty years as an attorney with the Innocence Project, a national nonprofit organization, where she was counsel for over thirty innocent people in more than a dozen states freed from prison or death sentences based on newly discovered evidence of innocence

By Richard Luthmann

Brooklyn Federal Court Judge Nina R. Morrison has been assigned to the case in which U.S. Senate candidate Cara Castronuova challenges the New York State GOP and Board of Elections. The boxing champ and former ‘The Biggest Loser’ trainer turned politician is aiming for a spot in the June 25 Republican primary.

U.S. Senate Candidate Cara Castronuova

Co-plaintiff John Tabacco, a Newsmax personality and noted political activist, was at the EDNY Court in Cadman Plaza earlier today, lining up a hearing for an emergency injunction to stop the GOP petitioning process.

Castronuova and Tabacco's lawsuit targets what they claim are unconstitutional barriers to ballot access, the most demanding of which is collecting 15,000 wet signatures from NYS Republican Party members. They argue that these barriers infringe upon Republican voters' rights to equal protection, voting, and free association. Their goal is clear: to secure Castronuova’s place in the Republican primary and to affirm the voting rights of Tabacco and other GOP voters.

Judge Morrison'Morrison'snt to this case is pivotal. With a reputation for defending constitutional rights through her work at the Innocence Project, her background in legal advocacy and civil rights positions her as a significant figure in a lawsuit that challenges the core of electoral fairness and party politics.

The plaintiffs contend that NY GOP Chairman Ed Cox's actions have imposed undue burdens on candidates and voters, reflecting a broader concern over politicized provisions of the election law manipulated by the party leadership. Amidst allegations of conflicts of interest involving Cox, the lawsuit marks a critical juncture for the Republican Party in New York State.

Drawing on historical parallels from a 2000 EDNY case, John Tabacco has been branded a "Modern-Day Guy Molinari" in the fight against electoral injustices. He highlights a precedent that bolsters their case.

Political activist and Newsmax personality John Tabacco,

"In 2000, Guy Molinari successfully challenged an onerous NYS elections system on behalf of John McCain, who sought access to the Presidential ballot. Our case is even stronger. Ed Cox’s choCox'sandidate didn’t nedidn'tingle signature, a stark contrast to our rigorous petitioning process. This isn’t just ballot access; it’s about ensuring the GOP voter's choice."

Judge Morrison’s courtroom now becomes the arena for a critical debate on the future of New York election law and Republican electoral politics. The lawsuit, enriched by Judge Morrison's acumen, Castronuova's, and Tabacco's activism, sets the stage for a landmark decision in pursuing electoral integrity, party democracy, and equal voting rights for all.

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