ANTONIO REYNOSO “Getting a lot of momentum.”
REVILED: Disgraced Democratic boss Vito Lopez faces a difficult City Council election after his state Assembly sexual-harassment scandal. (
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With Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer stealing all the attention, it’s easy to forget about the third pervert in next month’s primary election — serial groper Vito Lopez.
Lopez, who resigned from his Assembly seat in shame, is running for City Council in Brooklyn’s 34th District. But his political comeback just took a hit, The Post has learned.
His main opponent on Sept. 10 is Antonio Reynoso, 30. Lopez had “struck a deal,” according to sources, with underdog candidate Tommy Torres, 40, to stay in the race to rob Reynoso of Hispanic votes.
But Torres has quietly been forced from the ballot over accusations of fraud.
“Every vote’s going to count,” a Democratic insider said.
Torres’ exit could add another 1,000 votes for Reynoso, the source said.
In 2009, the race was a squeaker. Councilwoman Diana Reyna beat Lopez ally Maritza Davila by 160 votes in the Democratic primary.
Reynoso, the term-limited councilwoman’s chief of staff, has been embraced by a wide range of Brooklyn pols and groups that want Lopez out of politics.
“Our campaign is doing extremely well,” Reynoso said yesterday. “We’re getting a lot of momentum.”
Torres had submitted “over 300 fraudulent petition” signatures, which Reynoso’s campaign challenged in Brooklyn Supreme Court.
The alleged forgeries were collected by a “Richard Torres” and contained addresses of abandoned buildings, Brooklyn party insiders said.
“People were willing to testify that they didn’t sign,” one insider added.
Torres did not contest the challenge, a Board of Elections spokeswoman said.
Torres is no stranger to controversy. His girlfriend, former Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera, lost her seat after The Post exposed her putting him on the state payroll even though he was a full-time gym teacher and part-time athletic director.
Hanging over Lopez is a 68-page report by the Joint Commission on Public Ethics detailing his predatory behavior.
One woman who recorded the abuse wept as Lopez forced her to rub his hand and neck.
She told him the reason for her tears: “When I was in college, I had to leave because I was raped, and it’s like my body is the only thing I have to control and I, I’m sorry, it’s just a natural reflex for me.”
Lopez ignored the woman and continued to make her massage him. He later asked her to “cuddle.”