Court puts Cook back on Huntington ballot

The appellate court has reversed a lower court decision that booted a candidate from the GOP ticket for the fall Huntington town board elections.

Suffolk Justice John J.J. Jones Jr. ruled last week that a vote by the Huntington Republican Committee authorizing Gene Cook, who is not a registered Republican, to represent the party in the fall elections was not "duly or properly adopted" at the town party's convention on June 6.

The state Supreme Court appellate panel saw it differently and reversed the ruling in a decision dated Aug. 16.

"We're delighted that the court recognized the people's will," said town GOP party chair Toni Tepe. "And that there was recognition we conducted our meeting properly."

Republican Vivienne Wong, who had sought the nomination, filed a lawsuit last month claiming that the committee did not follow procedures in nominating Cook, who is an Independence Party member. Wong cited the Wilson Pakula law, passed in 1947, which says if a candidate is not a member of a political party, in order to run on that party's ticket he or she must get authorization from that party by a vote.

The suit alleged there were several procedural missteps leading to the vote, including improper meeting notice, not properly conducting a meeting, and improper keeping of minutes. Cook, of Greenlawn, said, he always knew the committee had not broken any rules.

"I'm very proud to be back on the line and represent the Republican Party," said Cook who also has the Independence and Conservative lines.

Wong did not return phone calls. But her attorney, Patrick Kevin Brosnahan of Babylon, said he was disappointed by the decision.

"It's my intention to pursue all avenues of appeal including and not limited to the court of appeals and application to reargue to the appellate division," Brosnahan said.