An anti-Trump Republican congressional candidate in New York was reportedly caught forging signatures in his plan to take on current Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Lonny Koons was recorded in his car on Mar. 24 writing in signatures for several people.
EXCLUSIVE: Never Trump Candidate Seen Illegally Forging Petition Signatures In Parking Lot In Effort To Run Against Elise Stefanik
Read more here first: https://t.co/edn3uI9X6m
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) March 31, 2022
The videos
“In the videos, posted on YouTube by an anonymous account called ‘North Country Watch,’ Koons can be seen signing several signatures and names on a document in the parking lot, on the same day he said he was collecting signatures in Ticonderoga. The petition filing period starts April 4. Republicans need a minimum of 1,250 signatures to appear on the ballot,” the Daily Caller reported.
“On March 12th, Koons posted a letter on Facebook that he sent to the Working Families Party of New York. In the letter, he states that he is ‘primarying Ms. Elise Stefanik for the republican nomination’ and goes on to ask why the Working Families Party is representing him as a supporter of former President Donald Trump,” he added.
Today, @Lonny_Koons dropped out after a video surfaced of him apparently forging petition signatures at a Walmart in Ticonderoga. He announced he was ending his campaign minutes after the first story dropped
— Alex Gault (@AlexBGault) April 1, 2022
It’s over
A later update to the report revealed Koons has now suspended his campaign after the report on the matter.
UPDATE: Lonny Koons tells @DailyCaller he is suspending his campaign due to a lack of funds after being contacted about the videos. He did not deny forging documents.
Read more here: https://t.co/edn3uI9X6m https://t.co/db9629sA0g pic.twitter.com/hrVNRJOxCV
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) March 31, 2022
“I have been preparing a press release of my own to announce that I am suspending my campaign due to a lack of funds and that I cannot afford to stay afloat because I have been on disability for 6 plus weeks at half my pay,” Koons told the Daily Caller.
“I will reevaluate a future run but currently I cannot afford to stay in this race and need to get back to work as am by definition, blue collar,” he added.
He did not confirm nor explicitly deny the allegations of forging signatures.
Koons was not considered a strong threat to Stefanik but the video abruptly led to the end of his campaign.