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Satterfield also wrote in her decision that Kavadas was an active participant in fraud “as well as being chargeable with knowing the fraud perpetuated by his subscribing witness.” She added that Kavadas’ testimony “was replete with inconsistencies and improbabilities.”
The judge claimed Kavadas engaged in fraud by permitting people to sign the names of others on the petition which he collected and signed sheets as a witness that were not signed in his presence. The signatures he collected also included an obvious forgery, Satterfield ruled.
Kavadas, 27, the son of a Greek immigrant who founded a food distribution business where he now works, also sells real estate. He was challenged by fellow candidate Isaac Sasson, 68, a retired medical researcher, and his political ally, James Trikas.
“I’m happy it’s over,” Sasson said. “We must move on. Kavadas is a young man with a future ahead of him.”
Kavadas indicated the battle wasn’t over, in a telephone interview on Tuesday, but refused to elaborate, saying he had been caught off guard by the phone call.
James Wu, another District 20 candidate, who was recently endorsed by Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn, Queens), was surprised at the judge’s ruling. “I looked at his petition and it looked fine,” Wu claimed, admitting he had only taken a cursory look.
That leaves the Democratic race with five candidates and Sasson as the only non-Asian. “This was a racist move on Sasson’s part,” Wu said. “Kavadas deserves to be on the ballot. Let democracy decide, not the court.”
Other candidates in the Sept. 15 primary are John Choe, Yen Chou and S.J. Jung. Choe, former chief of staff for Liu, won the Queens Democratic endorsement. Chou is an educator who owns a tutoring school. Jung runs an import business.
