Rep. Eileen Naughton suggests the easiest way to resolve claims that her husband, William, lied when obtaining signatures on her nomination papers is to ask the people whose signatures are in question whether, in fact, they signed the papers.

That’s not the way David Kruzona sees it.

Kruzona, who is running as a Democrat for the House District 21 seat Naughton has held for 24 years, challenged the validity of Naughton’s nomination papers after James Lawrence, Naughton’s campaign manager, questioned the authenticity of the notary public who signed his papers.

Lawrence’s claim was quickly dismissed when the notary public was found to be registered with the Secretary of State. Last week, two of the 75 registered voter signatures garnered for Naughton were dropped from the count. This has not changed anything, since the signatures of 50 voters from the district are all that Naughton needs to appear on the ballot. According to Patricia Aylesworth, Warwick director of elections, Naughton has been certified as a candidate for re-election and her name will appear on the ballot.

Kruzona thinks William Naughton “lied” when he testified he witnessed the four people whose signatures are disputed actually sign the papers. He said the fact that two signatures have been disqualified is proof of “fraud” and on that basis both sides of the entire sheet of signatures collected by William Naughton should be rejected. With 16 signatures on one side and 26 on the other, elimination of the sheet would leave Rep. Naughton with fewer signatures than needed for certification.

“It was a low down, dirty political move,” Kruzona said of Lawrence’s effort to disqualify his nomination papers on the basis that they hadn’t been properly notarized. “Before they throw rocks at somebody’s house, they should look at their own,” he said Friday.

Kruzona said his appeal would be heard by the state Board of Elections this Wednesday evening.

That was news to Rep. Naughton. She said Saturday she hadn’t received notification from the board. Her husband was not available for questioning.

Even should the Board of Elections reject the nomination sheet, Rep. Naughton said her campaign collected many more than the 75 verified by the local board of canvassers. She noted the board ceases verifying signatures once they are beyond the threshold with some to spare.

“They did sign,” Rep. Naughton said of signatures dropped from her papers, “and we can bring them [those who signed] to the board.”

Asked if that’s what is planned, Naughton said, “It’s up to Jim Lawrence.”