By Stephen Stirling and Jeremy Walsh
The counts against City Councilman Hiram Monserrate (D−East Elmhurst) sent a shock wave through Queens this week, but the fiery domestic violence advocate has been a polarizing figure for the entirety of his political career.
Monserrate was charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon last week in Queens Criminal Court after authorities said he allegedly slashed his girlfriend’s face with a broken drinking glass following an argument.
Monserrate immediately rebuked the charges, labeling the incident an accident, criticizing the media and accusing the district attorney’s office of mishandling the case.
“I would like to caution those who might be tempted to rush to judgment on press reports that are inaccurate and based upon speculation and misinformation,” he said. “Such conclusions will be found ultimately to be grossly erroneous and unjust. Further, I have serious concerns about the manner in which this case has been handled.”
Several borough legislators and Democratic operatives, who asked not to be identified, said they were not surprised by the allegations, given Monserrate’s behavior as a politician.
“He’s always been a firebrand, we know he can incite people to action with speeches and his rhetoric, but apparently it’s been physical, too,” one longtime Democratic player said. “It’s always been there in the rhetorical sense, this aggressive attitude. But I guess it’s seeped into his personal life.”
In nearly every arena of Monserrate’s public life, the former Marine has stirred the pot — to both positive and negative results.
A 12−year veteran of the New York Police Department, Monserrate first made headlines in 1994 when as a vice president of the Latino Officers Association he publicly criticized the NYPD following the killing of a New Yorker by a fellow police officer.
The incident caused a rift between Monserrate, the department and his fellow officers that culminated with his successfully suing the NYPD several times in the years that followed. Monserrate is credited with getting the NYPD to officially recognize the Latino Officers Association as a result of the lawsuits.
Historically, Monserrate’s relationship with Queens District Attorney Brown has been icy at times as well. At several points since he took office in 2001, Monserrate has openly criticized Brown for his handling of several criminal cases.
In 2005, he went as far as saying Brown’s handling of the murder trial of Corona resident Manuel Mayi was “reprehensible and clearly unacceptable,” prompting the DA to say that Monserrate “should be ashamed of himself.”
Although the most serious of the allegations levied against Monserrate during his political career, Friday’s arrest was not his first brush with the law.
Monserrate was also arrested once before, after allegedly leaving the scene of an accident in Corona in 2001. The charges were later dropped, authorities said.
More recently, questions have been raised about the councilman’s involvement in a failed Latino nonprofit, to which Monserrate steered thousands of dollars in Council discretionary funding.
During the last year Monserrate led an outspoken campaign against Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plans for redeveloping Willets Point, going as far as to interrupt a Manhattan press conference being held by supporters of the group in August. He is largely credited with negotiating an agreement that vastly increased the amount of affordable housing included in the project, earning him praise from many of his colleagues.
Monserrate also started his career as a state senator with a bang before he even arrived in Albany, briefly aligning himself with a trio of politicians that threatened to challenge the Democratic majority leadership under Sen. Malcolm Smith (D−St. Albans). Monserrate eventually agreed to throw his support behind Smith.
“He’s sort of insurgent now, but there was a time when he was really on the outs with the Democrats,” said one Democratic official. “He has basically forced himself into the party.”
Reach reporter Stephen Stirling by e−mail at sstirling@timesledger.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 138.
