12 NOVEMBER 28, 2019 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
What part of ‘no’ does Hiram not understand
As we witness the shamelessness
of some on Capitol Hill
who want to ignore the law
to protect a president accused of
breaking it, we see a different kind of
shamelessness in our own backyard
from another selfish, power-hungry
lawmaker.
Hiram Monserrate — a convicted
felon who previously served in the
City Council and state Senate — refuses
to leave the political scene.
Reportedly, he’s ready to run for
a Queens assembly seat held by a
longtime veteran lawmaker, Jeffrion
Aubry, who also happens to be one
of the leaders in the Democratic Assembly
majority.
Monserrate was elected last year
as a Democratic district leader.
People in his district, for some odd
reason, seem to think he’s qualified
to represent them — nevermind his
criminal history.
Why New York state government
continues to allow a guy like Monserrate
to run for public office is
an indictment of our government
itself. This opportunist shouldn’t
be allowed on the ballot next year,
EDITORIAL
Convicted felon Hiram Monserrate fi led to run against Assemblyman Jeff rion Aubry.
Photo by Mark Hallum
or any year.
Shortly after winning a state Senate
seat in 2010, Monserrate attacked
his then-girlfriend, cutting her face
with a piece of glass. He wound up
pleading guilty to a misdemeanor
assault charge, and it was enough for
the State Senate to expel him from
office.
Monserrate refused to go away. He
tried to win back his Senate seat in a
special election against the late Jose
Peralta, who defeated Monserrate in
a landslide.
Peralta was in the Assembly at
the time, and had to vacate that seat
to become a state senator, prompting
yet another election. That gave
Monserrate another reason not to
go away. He wound up losing the
Assembly race to Francisco Moya.
Then the feds came and locked
Monserrate away on charges that he
embezzled campaign funds through
a nonprofit. Not long after repaying
his debt to society, Monserrate
decided to, you guessed it, re-enter
politics.
In 2017, he ran for his old City
Council seat and lost to then-
Assemblyman Moya. The next year,
he finagled his way into garnering
enough votes for Democratic district
leader. Now he’s using that position
to worm his way back into Albany.
In a democracy, they say, you get
the government you deserve. But
no government deserves Hiram
Monserrate.
We hope his constituents are
reading this, and will reject him if
he dares to run again. However, no
felon should have the privilege of
running for public office — and state
government should act accordingly.
THE HOT TOPIC
STORY:
Ex-member of Queens high school
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charged controversy
SUMMARY:
Anthony Como, the former vice
president of Christ the King (CTK) High
School’s board of directors, claims that
he was recently removed from his position
in retaliation for voicing criticism
of the school’s reaction to accusations
of racial insensitivity last year.
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ESTABLISHED 1908
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CARLOTTA MOHAMED
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BILL PARRY
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