Republican Party Chairman threatens lawsuit against Clarkstown

Lawrence Garvey, Chairman of Rockland’s Republican party has threatened to sue Clarkstown’s leadership. On September 20, Garvey filed a Notice of Claim with Clarkstown indicating that he was preparing a suit that would accuse Town Supervisor George Hoehmann, Town Attorney Kevin Conway, Finance Director Colin Schmitt, Representative Michael Lawler (R, Pearl River), and the Town Board, of conspiracy and intimidation. In court fillings later posted to Facebook, Garvey has claimed that Clarkstown officials have retaliated against him for attempting to block an illegal donation to Hoehmann’s 2023 reelection campaign. Garvey is seeking $2 million in damages. 

Clarkstown’s leadership has vehemently denied Garvey’s claims and has hired Attorney Michael Burke, who in a statement shared with the RCT wrote:

“The Town of Clarkstown is in receipt of Mr. Garvey’s filing, which is full of baseless claims, gross misstatements of fact and outright lies, and is clearly a desperate attempt to preserve his chairmanship of the Rockland County Republican Committee. The Town vehemently denies all allegations and assertions made in Mr. Garvey’s rambling and unfounded missive and will pursue every available avenue to combat Mr. Garvey’s abuse of the legal process and seek appropriate relief.”

According to Garvey’s notice, Supervisor Hoehmann allegedly sought to settle campaign debt through an illegal $60,000 corporate donation, laundered through the New York State Republican Committee. Garvey claims that when he refused to participate in the transaction, Hoehmann and Clarkstown Town Attorney Kevin Conway involved Rep. Lawler to pressure him into compliance.

Garvey asserts that in March 2023, Hoehmann presented the Chairman with a check for $60,000 that was made out to the local GOP committee courtesy of Travel Line Inc. Garvey wrote that he returned the check to Hoehmann, advising the Supervisor that the donation exceeded the legal limit on the amount of  cash a private company is allowed to donate.   

Garvey also alleges that Travel Line Inc. is a shell corporation owned by the Katzenstein family, who owns and operates several business in Clarkstown. The Notice of Claim states that the Katzensteins have received favorable treatment by the Town Planning Board in exchange for the alleged donation. In a statement shared with the Rockland County Business Journal, Ben Katzenstein denied any involvement with or knowledge of Travel Line Inc.

 Garvey further claims that after a meeting with town officials and Republican committee members, Lawler contacted the New York State Republican Committee and directed it “not to send any money to George Hoehmann’s campaign account.”

Additionally, Garvey claims that in August 2024, Hoehmann circulated a letter disparaging Garvey and proposing that Lawler replace him as Chairman of the Rockland County Republican Committee, and that Lawler pressured Garvey to not run for reelection as Chairman during a meeting later that month. Garvey has also accused Conway of insinuating that Garvey, who operates a private law firm in Clarkstown, would no longer be contracted by the town government if he continued his accusations. 

Garvey is no stranger to legal controversy and is currently involved in multiple lawsuits, one of them stemming from his role as GOP Chair. Garvey is currently defending a challenge in Rockland County Supreme Court alleging the bylaws of the Rockland County Republican Committee illegally prevent elected officials from serving on its Executive Committee.  

Garvey is also facing a legal challenge from County Legislator Walter Kennelly (R), alleging negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract in Garvey’s firm’s handling of Kennelly’s interest in the former Kennelly’s Grille House.