Suspicions on Straniere's judicial nomination

So what happens if you are nominated for a juducial office and don't know? Bob Straniere doesn't know why he was nominated for a Manhattan judicial position;

"I don't know where this bizarre endorsement has come from."

The Manhattan GOP who nominated him is not talking;

"The Manhattan GOP has yet to explain why they voted to nominate Straniere for a Supreme Court seat, an election that Straniere has no chance of winning because of Manhattan's overwhelmingly Democratic voter registration."

And even members of the Republican party think there was something unethical going on;

"There ought to be an investigation," he said. "How can you nominate somebody for judge without them knowing it? People are wheeling and dealing all day long."

This starts to get very suspicious because while we knew Bob didn't know why he was nominated, we later find out Straniere did not know he was nominated;

"Straniere further maintains that he didn't even know that the party had nominated him for the slot until informed about it by the press."

and state law says he has to potentially officially decline it;

"Manhattan Republicans had until midnight last night to file a certificate of nomination for Straniere with the Board of Elections. But Straniere said he would "absolutely" decline the nomination, in writing, if required by law."

So what would have happened if Straniere never found out he was nominated in Manhattan, his home borough, and then never formally declined the nomination?