Is there a Democrat in the state Senate who will say Sen. Hiram Monserrate should not be rewarded for the treachery that brought the state government to its knees?
If a Republican senator speaks out, he or she will be accused of playing politics. The truth about Monserrate must be spoken by someone in his party. Despite the fact he is facing domestic violence charges for allegedly slashing his girlfriend’s face with a broken glass and jumped ship and came back, last week he was restored to a paid committee leadership. As Consumer Protection Committee chairman, Monserrate will receive a $12,500 stipend.
Monserrate never should have been allowed to sit in the Senate. The arrest occurred while he was a city councilman and evidence that has been made public is compelling. His girlfriend says the incident was an accident, but that reportedly is not what she told police and hospital officials the night the injuries occurred.
He never should have been offered a committee chairmanship. In Congress, if a member is arrested on charges, he or she is stripped of leadership positions until the charges are resolved.
Even more troubling is the possibility the position was the price of winning him back. There is reason to believe conference chairman Sen. John Sampson cut a deal with Monserrate. Sampson has made a number of contradictory statements about the alleged deal.
We do not assume the GOP would act differently if it was in control. But the ball is in the Democrats’ court. They must decide the Senate’s integrity is worth more than political expedience.
