Foskey v. The Corporate State of New York

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedAugust 10, 2022
Docket2:22-cv-02546
StatusUnknown

This text of Foskey v. The Corporate State of New York (Foskey v. The Corporate State of New York) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Foskey v. The Corporate State of New York, (E.D.N.Y. 2022).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK -------------------------------------------------------------------------X EDWARD FOSKEY,

Plaintiff, ORDER -against- 22-CV-2546(GRB)(ARL)

THE CORPORATE STATE OF NEW YORK, KATHY HOCHUL, as an individual and as Governor of the Corporate State of New York; COUNTY OF FILED NASSAU, BRUCE BLAKEMAN, as an individual and as CLERK Nassau County Executive Director; MAUREEN O’CONNELL, 1:33 pm, Aug 10, 2022 as an individual and as Nassau County Clerk; NASSAU U.S. DISTRICT COURT COUNTY TRAFFIC & PARKING VIOLATIONS AGENCY, EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK PAUL L. MELI, as an individual and as Nassau County LONG ISLAND OFFICE Traffic & Parking Violations Agency Executive Director, Nassau County Red Light Division;

Defendants. -------------------------------------------------------------------------X GARY R. BROWN, United States District Judge: Before the Court is the renewed application to proceed in forma pauperis filed by pro se plaintiff Edward Foskey (“Plaintiff”) in support of his complaint against the Corporate State of New York (“NY State”), Governor Kathy Hochul (“Gov. Hochul”), the County of Nassau (“Nassau County”), Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (“Blakeman”), Nassau County Clerk Maureen O’Connell (“O’Connell”), the Nassau County Traffic & Parking Violations Agency (“NCTPVA”) and its Executive Director, Paul L. Meli (“Meli” and collectively, “Defendants”). See Docket Entry “DE” 1, 6. Upon review, the Court finds that Plaintiff is qualified by his financial status to commence this action without prepayment of the filing fee. Accordingly, Plaintiff’s renewed application to proceed IFP (DE 6) is granted. However, for the reasons that follow, Plaintiff’s claims brought pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 241, 242, and 1341 are dismissed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915 (e)(2)(B). Plaintiff’s remaining claims against are dismissed without prejudice pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). BACKGROUND 1. Summary of the Complaint Pro se Plaintiff commenced this action by filing a complaint against the Defendants seeking to challenge his receipt of red light camera tickets on June 3, 2020 and July 7, 2020 within

Nassau County. See Compl., DE 1 generally. Plaintiff alleges that the purpose of the tickets is “to extort $174.00 and other fees from plaintiff to generate revenue for their corrupt, unethical, and unconstitutional business.” Id. at 2, ¶ 2. According to the complaint, Plaintiff received “se[ve]ral notices in the mail from Nassau County, NY Red Light Camera Division[,] to appear at [the] Nassau County Traffic & Parking Violations Agency, and when the plaintiff did not show up for the extortion attempt, the defendant’s [sic] started harassing and threatening the plaintiff through the United States Postal Service.” Id. at 3, ¶ 5. Plaintiff complains that the notices “threaten[ed] to suspend the plaintiff[‘s] driving privileges, seize[] his assets, garnish his wages, levy his bank account, and immobilize[] his automobile. Id. Further, Plaintiff alleges that “[t]he

defendants conspired to oppress, threaten, and intimidate the plaintiff.” Id. at 4, ¶ 7(A). As a result, Plaintiff purports to allege claims against all of the Defendants1 pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 241, 242, 1341, 1918, 1961, and 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Id. ¶¶ 4, 7-9, 25. Plaintiff also alleges that the Defendants have violated New York Penal Law § 195.00. Id. ¶ 22. Plaintiff seeks to recover a damages award “in the sum of $1,000,000.00 for official misconduct, violation

1 Notably, apart from the caption and the identification of parties sections of the complaint, the only reference to any particular defendant is set forth in paragraph 23(A)-(B) wherein Plaintiff alleges that Gov. Hochul, Blakeman, Meli, and O’Connell hold supervisory positions within New York State and Nassau County, respectively, and, as such are aware of and responsible for the alleged unlawful practices. See Compl. DE 1 in toto and at 7, ¶ 23.

2 of oath of public office, infringing on the plaintiff freedom of movement, racketeering, extortion, harassment, malicious conduct, misrepresentation, abuse of authority, Constitutional Protected Rights violation, defamation of character, diminished quality of life violation, conspiracy, fraud, punitive damages for their outrageous cruel conduct, mental anguish, such as anxiety, insomnia,

depression, nervousness, fearfulness, and for sch other relief as this Court may deem proper.” Id. ¶ 27. LEGAL STANDARDS The Second Circuit has established a two-step procedure wherein the district court first considers whether plaintiff qualifies for in forma pauperis status, and then considers the merits of the complaint under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). Potnick v. E. State Hosp., 701 F.2d 243, 244 (2d Cir. 1983). 1. In Forma Pauperis Upon review of the renewed IFP application (DE 6), the Court finds that plaintiff is qualified by his financial status to commence this action without the prepayment of the filing fee. Therefore, the application to proceed IFP is granted.

2. Sufficiency of the Pleadings As Judge Bianco summarized, A district court is required to dismiss an in forma pauperis complaint if the action is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted, or seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(i)-(iii). The Court is required to dismiss the action as soon as it makes such a determination. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(i)-(iii).

It is axiomatic that district courts are required to read pro se complaints liberally, see Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94 (2007) (quoting Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 106 (1976)); Chavis v. Chappius, 618 F.3d 162, 170 (2d Cir. 2010), and to construe them “‘to raise the strongest arguments that [they] suggest [ ].’” Chavis,

3 618 F.3d at 170 (quoting Harris v. City of New York, 607 F.3d 18, 24 (2d Cir. 2010)). Moreover, at the pleadings stage of the proceeding, the Court must assume the truth of “all well-pleaded, nonconclusory factual allegations” in the complaint. Kiobel v.

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Bluebook (online)
Foskey v. The Corporate State of New York, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/foskey-v-the-corporate-state-of-new-york-nyed-2022.