State Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi is accusing his election opponent of attempting to fake documents that would have changed the assemblymember’s party affiliation. New York State Assembly 
By Ryan Schwach
A Queens state assemblymember claimed on Monday that his controversial primary opponent tried to fraudulently change his party affiliation as he runs his re-election campaign.
Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi claimed that Jonathan David Rinaldi, a perennial candidate who has made headlines for sharing false endorsements and fake local news stories, attempted to change Hevesi’s party affiliation with the Board of Elections in an attempt to “steal” the upcoming primary election in Assembly District 28.
Hevesi, who has represented parts of Forest Hills, Middle Village, Rego Park, Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill and Glendale since 2005, said he filed a criminal complaint with the Queens district attorney’s office alleging the fraud.
“Today, I swore out a criminal complaint with the Queens district attorney against my opponent, perennial candidate Jonathan Rinaldi, for what appears to be acts of fraud and forgery in an illegal effort to steal an election and an Assembly seat for himself,” Hevesi said in a statement on Monday.
Hevesi alleged that Rinaldi pretended to be the incumbent and sent the BOE a document requesting that it change his party from the Democratic Party to the Working Families Party.
The allegedly falsified documents obtained by the Eagle include Hevesi’s purported signature, address and date of birth.
But Hevesi said he never filled out such documents.
“I am, and have always been a Democrat, and would never change parties,” he said. “I have already taken steps to restore my actual enrollment, and I look forward to running for re-election as a Democrat with the support of the Working Families Party, and appearing on both the Democratic and Working Families Party lines.”
While Hevesi did not publicly present any evidence that Rinaldi was behind the forgery, he argued that his primary opponent is the only person with a motive.
Had the party change request gone through, Hevesi would have been unable to run in the Democratic primary, leaving Rinaldi, who has run for public office on the Republican party line multiple times in recent years, as the only Democratic candidate remaining.
Jonathan David Rinaldi, a controversial perennial candidate, was accused by his primary opponent, Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi, of fraudulently attempting to alter Hevesi’s voter registration. Screenshot via Rinaldi/YouTube
The alleged fraud was originally reported in the New York Times.
Hevesi did not return the Eagle’s calls seeking further comment.
The alleged fraud is far from the first time Rinaldi has sparked campaign controversy or drawn attention for his political antics.
He gained notoriety in recent years for harassing opponents while on the campaign trail, and for creating fake news articles and AI campaign videos.
Hevesi said Rinaldi’s history of political provocation makes it all the more likely he was behind the fraud.
“Mr. Rinaldi has built his political reputation on lies, deception, and unquestionably unethical behavior,” said Hevesi. “Knowing he could never win based on any merit, throughout his past campaigns, he has repeatedly lied to the voters, gotten caught, and been defeated at the ballot box. But now he has apparently crossed the line from George Santos-style fabulism into criminal fraud and forgery, and it is time for him to be held accountable.”
Rinaldi first gained notoriety in Queens’ political community several years ago after he yelled at and was accused of harassing his political opponents.
On Election Day in 2024, Rinaldi was arrested for creating a disturbance at a polling site.
He also became known for his prolific sperm donation habits, which garnered him the nickname “sperminator” in the New York Post.
Last year, Rinaldi posted a string of fabricated headlines boasting non-existent endorsements from former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Councilmember Bob Holden and even Hevesi. He also falsified endorsements from local Jewish groups.
He initially claimed he was hacked, and denied making the posts.
Rinaldi’s social media accounts have continued to post AI-created videos of local Queens residents talking about their support for him. Ahead of his race against Hevesi, Rinaldi posted campaign videos depicting an AI version of himself.
His website includes AI-generated videos and images of him campaigning and speaking about campaign issues.
“I had absolutely no involvement in any change to Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi’s voter registration, and neither did anyone acting on my behalf,” Rinaldi said in a text message denying the allegations. “What this situation actually highlights is a serious vulnerability in our election system. If a voter registration can be changed by mail, without identification, and even with apparent errors, that should concern every New Yorker.”
“Instead of speculation, the focus should be on ensuring the integrity and security of the system so this cannot happen to anyone else,” he added.
The Queens district attorney’s office declined to comment.
