Special Senate Committee will Consider Monserrate's Fate; GOP, Diaz Complain

By Roy Edroso Tue., Oct. 20 2009 at 3:54 PM

Categories: Albany, Crime, Crime and Punishment, Featured, Politics

The state senate leadership finally announced it would establish a special committee to consider colleague Hiram Monserrate's membership. The committee will be chaired by Democratic on Manhattan ~~underboss John Sampson~~ senator Eric Schneiderman and include five Democratic senators -- including locals Diane Savino of Staten Island, and Toby Stavisky of Queens -- and four Republican senators. Minority leader Dean Skelos wonders why Monserrate, who got off on lesser charges last week in his attack on his girlfriend than would have automatically triggered his expulsion, wasn't remanded instead to the standing senate ethics committee, which has four Republicans and two Democrats. We think that question answers itself...

Obstreperous senator Ruben Diaz Jr. charges racism, claiming "liberal white guys" were "asking for the head of the Puerto Rican." Senator Liz Krueger, who called for Monserrate's ouster last week, responds: "This is what [Diaz] falls back on whenever he's not getting his way." New York's Daily Intel points out that the anti-Monserrate camp has plenty of minorty representation ("Nonwhite People Agree: Monserrate Should Go Away").

Bronx News Network notices that few of Monserrate's Bronx colleagues have criticized him -- though they have updated with a joint statement from the borough's Annabel Palma and Melissa Mark-Viverito, whose uptown district includes Mott Haven, calling on Monserrate to reign.

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