BREAKING NEWS

Police arrested current City Councilmember and Senator-elect Hiram Monserrate in the early hours of Friday morning, December 19 and charged him with assault in the first degree after he allegedly beat a woman believed to be his girlfriend.
“We are not making any comments at this time,” Monserrate spokesperson Wayne Mahlke told The Courier at 9:40 a.m. Friday morning. Mahlke would not confirm Monserrate’s arrest, but said his office is preparing a statement, which Mahlke hopes to send out shortly.
Multiple media reports have police questioning Monserrate after he reportedly brought the woman to Long Island Jewish Hospital around 4 a.m. this morning. The Daily News is reporting that the woman was treated for severe lacerations on her face that required many stitches.
The incident allegedly occurred after Monserrate spent the day reaping praise from his Council colleagues as he spent his last day at City Hall. After working in Manhattan, Monserrate reportedly attended a holiday party at the Queens Museum of Art with many Queens elected officials. Monserrate is also scheduled to host his own holiday party tonight.
Monserrate earned the Queens Democratic Party’s backing over-then incumbent State Senator John Sabini in May after he lost a close election to Sabini in 2006 when the Queens Democratic Party backed Sabini.
“The residents of Queens work hard every day to provide their children a better quality of life,” Monserrate said back in May. “Over the past six years, I have helped secure jobs for the men and women of Queens, funding for better schools, expanded health care access and made our neighborhoods safer by securing additional police resources.”
Prior to serving in the City Council, Monserrate served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, where he received the National Defense Ribbon and the Good Conduct Medal. In 1988, Monserrate joined the NYPD, where he served for 12 years protecting the safety and quality of life of Queens’ residents, according to his City Council biography.