When Hiram Monserrate was expelled from the New York State Senate last month over a conviction for assaulting his girlfriend, Gov. David Paterson called a special election to fill his seat. Now, Monserrate (D) is running to get his seat back and, allegedly, painting one of his opponents as a gay crusader out to dismantle family values.
His supporters have allegedly been handing out flyers at churches in Queens suggesting one of Monserrate's opponents, fellow Democrat Jose Peralta, is out to "destroy our way of life" by supporting gay rights.
The flyer, obtained by Elizabeth Benjamin at the Daily News, says Peralta is beholden to a group of "mega rich gay fanatics dedicated to destroying our way of life and creating same sex marriage." The group, called the Gill Foundation in the flyer, may refer to activist Tim Gill's Fight Back New York PAC, which has sent out mailings calling Monserrate a criminal.
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Monserrate was expelled from the state senate in February over a misdemeanor assault conviction. In December 2008, Monserrate was arresting for cutting his girlfriend in the face with broken glass, then dragging her through a lobby in order to drive her to the hospital. He allegedly chose a hospital that he thought was outside city limits so he wouldn't be recognized. His girlfriend has publicly said the incident was an accident and the two are still together.
Well, I for one am relieved that the girlfriend has cleared the whole thing up. After all, abused women never, ever cover up for their abusive partners. I'm sure Monserrate is a real treat to live with.
However, in the off chance that Monserrate actually did cut his girlfriend's face with broken glass, perhaps he's not the very best advocate for the traditional way of life we all cherish. (Well, you people. Me and my mega rich chums prefer to worship Baal and exhibit Robert Mapplethorpe prints in local schools.)
I have no idea if he's got any chance of winning the special election next week. Lord knows, I certainly hope not. If social conservatives hate gays enough to return a consummate creep like Monserrate to Albany then their priorities are even more deranged than I thought.
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surprise, surprise gj, but there are socially conservative Democrats (economically liberal union members for example) just as there are socially liberal Republicans (not many, but there are some). I don't know what the point is on "blaming" the Democratic party for this. There are really only two parties in the US so it will be impossible to have it so that everyone who belongs to either will agree with everything the party purportedly espouses.
ReplyDeletecharo
As they say in my home country (which is right near the Queens border, as it happens), a couple two three things:
ReplyDeleteGJ, Charo is right. New York City is big D Democratic. Always has been, since the 19th century. But it is not always progressive (take the Civil War - NY was not exactly pro-Union or pro-Abolition). There is no Republican party to speak of. But there are entire neighborhoods in Queens that consist in some seriously seriously socially conservative folks. I don't know if this fine fellow Monserrate is misreading his particular constituency, but he may well not be.
Has someone tested the water recently in Albany? Because NY state politicians have apparently gone completely f'ing insane.
And I love one of the TPM commenters who said: "I'm sure he only did it because he loves her. And the thought of a gay guy he doesn't know marrying another gay guy he doesn't know probably drove him to it."
OK, I withdraw my objection to the use of "social conservative." I come from a culture where 'socially conservative' is a codeword for flaming rightwing Republican. True, Dems can be homophobic, and I'd wager that the majority are, which explains the reluctance of the Dem pols to actually do anything about gay rights.
ReplyDeleteI still maintain this creep is a suckweasel.
GJ, I don't think anyone here would debate that this man is a suckweasel of the highest order.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I will dispute the contention that Democrats do nothing about gay rights. There is legislation in Congress to repeal DADT, which is a start. And states with marriage equality all have it thanks to Democrats.
They don't do all I would like, but neither do they do nothing. Don't attempt to convince me otherwise.