Hiram Monserrate

Hiram Monserrate (born July 12, 1967) is an American politician and convicted felon from the State of New York.

Monserrate served on the New York City Council from 2002 to 2008, representing District 21 in Queens.

In June 2003, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced an executive order allowing city employees to report illegal immigrants to federal authorities.

Monserrate, then chairing the Council's Black, Latino and Asian Caucus, argued that this order would worsen relations between immigrant communities and the police.

He responded by sponsoring a bill entitled "Access Without Fear", which would have forbidden city officials from revealing such information except as required by law.

He joined director Stephen Frears in publicizing the immigration film Dirty Pretty Things to raise awareness of the issue.

In 2006, Monserrate ran for New York State Senate against fellow Democrat John Sabini, a 16-year incumbent.

Monserrate came within 200 votes of pulling off an upset in one of the closest races in Queens.

In late 2008, Monserrate opposed Mayor Bloomberg's planned use of eminent domain in the $4 billion Willets Point Redevelopment project in Queens.

The long-term project aimed to clear the 62 acre industrial area, clear up pollution, and develop a hotel and convention center.

However, it was initially opposed by a majority of the existing business owners.

Monserrate changed his mind and supported the development after being assured that one-third of the housing would be "affordable" and that the city would offer businesses an opportunity to relocate.

He told reporters the compromise showed that government "can be fair and still do good economic development".

Monserrate supported the New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project, a project co-founded by Tom Cruise to deliver the so-called Purification Rundown (an unproven "detoxification" procedure created by L. Ron Hubbard as part of Scientology) to rescue workers affected by the September 11 attacks.

Monserrate went through the program himself, and drafted official proclamations honoring both Cruise and Hubbard.

He also attended a fund-raising dinner in New York for the project, as well as an event at the Scientology Celebrity Centre in Los Angeles.

Monserrate dismissed medical authorities' criticism of the Purification Rundown, saying, "This is the same type of thing they said about chiropractors twenty years ago."

In 2008, he again ran for the State Senate with the support of organized labor.

Sabini withdrew from the race following his appointment to chair the New York State Racing and Wagering Board.

Monserrate then ran unopposed and on November 4, 2008, was elected the New York State Senator for the 13th district.

A Democrat, Monserrate represented New York's 13th State Senate District in Queens from January 1, 2009 until February 9, 2010, when he was expelled from office following a misdemeanor conviction for assaulting his then-girlfriend.

He later served time in prison following a plea of guilty to federal corruption charges.

Monserrate is also a former Marine, a former New York City police officer, and a former member of the New York City Council.

On June 8, 2009, Monserrate and Pedro Espada (D-Bronx) joined Senate Republicans in an attempted parliamentary coup for the purpose of shifting control of the Senate to the Republicans; Monserrate, Espada, and all 30 Senate Republicans voted, 32-30, to replace Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith with then-Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos and install Espada as Temporary President of the Senate.

This action resulted in the 2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis.

A week later, Senate Democrats appointed Senator John Sampson as their leader.

On the same day, Monserrate rejoined the Democratic caucus, leaving the Senate in a 31-31 deadlock.

With the office of Lieutenant Governor vacant due to Eliot Spitzer's resignation, the tie could not be resolved, and the resulting legislative deadlock continued until July 9, when Espada rejoined the Democrats.

On December 2, 2009, Monserrate voted against legislation allowing same-sex marriage, which failed to pass the Senate.

A bipartisan nine-member committee recommended disciplinary action against Monserrate following his 2009 misdemeanor assault conviction.

If Monserrate had been convicted of the felony charges against him, he would have been automatically expelled from the Senate.

Politicians of both parties at the national, state, and local level called for him to resign or be expelled from the State Senate.

The Queens Democratic Party withdrew its support for Monserrate's 2010 re-election bid on October 29, 2009.

The party leadership supported Assemblyman Jose Peralta for the State Senate.

The committee's report was released on January 14, 2010 and recommended that the full Senate expel or censure Monserrate.

On February 9, 2010, the State Senate voted to expel Monserrate.

The vote was 53 to 8, with one senator not present.

In response, Monserrate sued the State Senate in federal court.

Monserrate lost his case on the District Court level and in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Following Monserrate's expulsion from the Senate, Governor David Paterson called for a special election in the 13th Senate District to be held on March 16, 2010.