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Judge Says De Blasio-Backed Brooklyn Assembly Candidate Can Stay on Ballot

By Jeff Mays | September 8, 2014 8:44am
 Rodneyse Bichotte with Mayor Bill de Blasio. A fellow candidate for the 42nd Distrtict Assembly seat in Brooklyn had tried to have her thrown off the ballot, but a judge dismissed the case.
Rodneyse Bichotte with Mayor Bill de Blasio. A fellow candidate for the 42nd Distrtict Assembly seat in Brooklyn had tried to have her thrown off the ballot, but a judge dismissed the case.
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Rodneyse Bichotte

BROOKLYN — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit that challenged the voter registration status of a Brooklyn Assembly candidate backed by Mayor Bill de Blasio and other prominent Democrats.

Michele Adolphe claimed that Rodneyse Bichotte, a fellow candidate for the 42nd District Assembly seat being vacated by longtime Assemblywoman Rhonda Jacobs, had filed "highly questionable" and "deceitful" voter registration papers and asked for her to be booted off the ballot.

Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice David I. Schmidt dismissed the case Thursday because he said the deadline for challenging the candidacy of someone running in the Sept. 9 primary was July 24. Schmidt also wrote in his order that Bichotte became a "qualified registered voter" when she filed a voter registration form after moving to New York from Illinois in 2007.

“The case was baseless and had no merit in a court of law. This was simply a desperate and last-minute attempt by Michele Adolphe and her campaign to distract voters from the real issues they’re faced with in this election," Bichotte said in a statement.

Bichotte's attorney Aaron Maslow had called the suit frivolous and threatened to sue Adolphe for court fees. He said yesterday he would wait until after the primary to make a decision.

Reached by phone, Adolphe first declined to comment and then said she still believes Bichotte is not a valid registered voter in spite of the judge's ruling.

"The law is the law and the judge made a decision," Adolphe said. "It's up to the voters now."

When voters head to the polls Tuesday they will consider the many endorsements that Bichotte, a district leader in Flatbush who endorsed de Blasio early in last year's mayoral primary, has earned.

In addition to de Blasio, Comptroller Scott Stringer, Public Advocate Letitia James, City Councilman Jumaane Williams and unions such as the Hotels Trade Council have endorsed Bichotte.

Also running in Tuesday's Democratic Primary are Victor Jordan and L. Rickie Tulloch.