Clergy give blessing to Monserrate
By Jeremy Walsh
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| State Sen. Hiram Monserrate (l.) looks on as the Rev. Ricardo Reyes defends him at a news conference in Jackson Heights. Photo by Jeremy Walsh |
Even as his legal team argues that the March 16 special election to fill his seat is invalid and unconstitutional, expelled state Sen. Hiram Monserrate (D-East Elmhurst) has mobilized his re-election campaign with the help of a bloc of churches in his district opposed to same-sex marriage.
“The legal arguments and the case are separate and apart from political decisions,” Monserrate said, comparing his situation to that of Harlem’s U.S. Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who was expelled by Congress in the 1960s and took his case all the way to the Supreme Court. “Those decisions should be made on the law. We believe that the law is very clear.”
Monserrate’s expulsion came after a Senate committee concluded he was unfit to serve based on how he handled the injury of his girlfriend after a December 2008 fight in his apartment. He is running on his own “Yes We Can” ticket against the Democratic nominee, state Assemblyman Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights) and Republican administrative law judge Robert Beltrani.
Having alienated his district’s sizable gay and lesbian population by voting against a same-sex marriage bill in the Senate in November, Monserrate is relying on the largely Latino coalition of churches whose parishioners agreed with his vote. Many of them are now volunteering at his campaign office, he said.
“It was a vote of conscience and I believe it is correct,” he said at a news conference in front of Peralta’s district office Monday, lashing out against the Fight Back NY political action committee that has begun sending out mailers condemning Monserrate over the same-sex marriage vote.
The Rev. Ricardo Reyes of El Elyon Christian Church in Corona said he represented 612 churches in Queens that oppose same-sex marriage and praised Monserrate for his record of supporting community groups.
“I have seen a generation sunk down by the gay community,” Reyes said. “If we vote for a gay marriage situation ... we are sending our children to practice something against the Bible.”
Fight Back NY, which is funded largely by a foundation started by the wealthy Colorado-based businessman Tim Gill, is dedicated to helping replace the state senators who voted against the bill. Monserrate is currently their only declared target.
Peralta, who has voted in favor of the marriage equality bill in the Assembly, said Monserrate was using the emergence of Fight Back NY as an attempt to distract voters from other issues of the campaign, like the need in the district for more affordable housing and health care.
“For the last year and a half he hasn’t been able to deliver for his district ... because he’s been so focused on his political soap drama and his personal soap opera,” Peralta said.
Peralta, in turn, is facing criticism from Beltrani for his involvement with a failed nonprofit that was slated to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and federal funding. Peralta has said the state Legislature has placed holds on that funding until a new executive director can be found and suggested the Republicans were hoping to split the Democratic vote.
“They want chaos because then they can point the finger and say, ‘Hey, look, the Democrats can’t get it together,’” Peralta said.
Monserrate was expelled by a 53-8 vote in the Senate last month. With the assistance of noted civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel, he appealed his ouster, arguing the Legislature violated the civil rights of his constituents who voted for him in the 2008 election. Monserrate ran unopposed that year.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jewalsh@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
“The legal arguments and the case are separate and apart from political decisions,” Monserrate said, comparing his situation to that of Harlem’s U.S. Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who was expelled by Congress in the 1960s and took his case all the way to the Supreme Court. “Those decisions should be made on the law. We believe that the law is very clear.”
Monserrate’s expulsion came after a Senate committee concluded he was unfit to serve based on how he handled the injury of his girlfriend after a December 2008 fight in his apartment. He is running on his own “Yes We Can” ticket against the Democratic nominee, state Assemblyman Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights) and Republican administrative law judge Robert Beltrani.
Having alienated his district’s sizable gay and lesbian population by voting against a same-sex marriage bill in the Senate in November, Monserrate is relying on the largely Latino coalition of churches whose parishioners agreed with his vote. Many of them are now volunteering at his campaign office, he said.
“It was a vote of conscience and I believe it is correct,” he said at a news conference in front of Peralta’s district office Monday, lashing out against the Fight Back NY political action committee that has begun sending out mailers condemning Monserrate over the same-sex marriage vote.
The Rev. Ricardo Reyes of El Elyon Christian Church in Corona said he represented 612 churches in Queens that oppose same-sex marriage and praised Monserrate for his record of supporting community groups.
“I have seen a generation sunk down by the gay community,” Reyes said. “If we vote for a gay marriage situation ... we are sending our children to practice something against the Bible.”
Fight Back NY, which is funded largely by a foundation started by the wealthy Colorado-based businessman Tim Gill, is dedicated to helping replace the state senators who voted against the bill. Monserrate is currently their only declared target.
Peralta, who has voted in favor of the marriage equality bill in the Assembly, said Monserrate was using the emergence of Fight Back NY as an attempt to distract voters from other issues of the campaign, like the need in the district for more affordable housing and health care.
“For the last year and a half he hasn’t been able to deliver for his district ... because he’s been so focused on his political soap drama and his personal soap opera,” Peralta said.
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“They want chaos because then they can point the finger and say, ‘Hey, look, the Democrats can’t get it together,’” Peralta said.
Monserrate was expelled by a 53-8 vote in the Senate last month. With the assistance of noted civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel, he appealed his ouster, arguing the Legislature violated the civil rights of his constituents who voted for him in the 2008 election. Monserrate ran unopposed that year.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jewalsh@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of yournabe.com.
DontTrustQuinn wrote on Mar 5, 2010 9:23 PM:
" Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras gypped disabled employees for months
http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2010/03/julissa-ferreras-gypped-disabled.html
Queens Assemblyman Jose Peralta landed more than $500,000 in taxpayer money for a nonprofit that never filed federal tax records, has no employees and has been inactive for more than two years.
http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2009/12/hirams-replacement-is-no-angel-either.html
Ferreras has been corrupted by Quinn, she doesn't represent the people anymore. "
http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2010/03/julissa-ferreras-gypped-disabled.html
Queens Assemblyman Jose Peralta landed more than $500,000 in taxpayer money for a nonprofit that never filed federal tax records, has no employees and has been inactive for more than two years.
http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2009/12/hirams-replacement-is-no-angel-either.html
Ferreras has been corrupted by Quinn, she doesn't represent the people anymore. "
dontTrustQuinn wrote on Mar 5, 2010 9:24 PM:
" Jose Peralta and Julissa Ferreras are in Christine Quinn's side. forget them. They join the dark side - Christine Quinn slush fund queen. "
Sabrina wrote on Mar 6, 2010 9:22 AM:
" I completely stand and agree with what Rev. Ricardo Reyes has said!!!! "
annonymous wrote on Mar 8, 2010 4:22 PM:
" I understand where Rev Reyes is coming from and everyone is so blind to what is going on. They don't see where they are leading the next generation to.
I totally agree with SABRINA !! "
I totally agree with SABRINA !! "
Jackson Heights resident wrote on Mar 10, 2010 12:11 PM:
" Monserrate has to go. He is a delusional egomaniac who will stop at nothing to win his seat back. Thing is, we the people of Queens DO NOT WANT HIM BACK! I and everyone I know will be voting for Peralta. We need honesty and not a coke-snorting scientologist who will stoop to any low to win an election. Time to take out the garbage!
Tell us about your cocaine use huh Hiram. Do you think he got into that face-slashing incident because he had too much coffee? Just ask the residents of his building... "
Tell us about your cocaine use huh Hiram. Do you think he got into that face-slashing incident because he had too much coffee? Just ask the residents of his building... "
Queens Christian wrote on Mar 10, 2010 12:15 PM:
" It's true that Monserrate is a Scientologist. I am disturbed by this since they don't even believe in our Lord Jesus...
http://gawker.com/5115312/face+slashing-state-senator+to+be-also-big+time-scientologist "
http://gawker.com/5115312/face+slashing-state-senator+to+be-also-big+time-scientologist "
javiercasanueva wrote on Mar 10, 2010 11:53 PM:
" This is America, a free Nation. A nation with laws within our states and societies. Those laws were established for our founding Fathers, people with values and principles. The marriage between a man and a woman it’s been a way of life since the beginning of this nation. There always been gay and lesbian people, history shows how they were discriminated and sometimes brutalized, but they always have to adapt to the societies in order to satay alive. But in the last 4 or 5 decades they have gain power in modern societies, turning things around, laws, believes, the way society thinks. In Europe (the old world) this is not knew, there’s more countries with gay rights than in America or other region in the world. Nowadays the battle continues, a group who no longer remained in the closet, who doesn't want to adapt to the society anymore, instead of they want the society adapt to them. In these modern society the antegonic force seems that have been shifted, because people who all their lifetime have stand for marriage between a man and a woman, now are criticized of racist, for not been open minded.
I respect gay people, I admire them. But there’s a point in life, that every single individual have to stand for what he believes is right, not for himself, not for a small group but for our communities and societies and especially for our children and future generation. I understand that every time a individual stands up for something, there’s always going to be responsibilities and people that may not like it, but that forms the character of a person and societies even nations. I want my children and my grandchildren get to know what is a marriage as my parents and my grand parents did, is the free union of a man and a woman. "
I respect gay people, I admire them. But there’s a point in life, that every single individual have to stand for what he believes is right, not for himself, not for a small group but for our communities and societies and especially for our children and future generation. I understand that every time a individual stands up for something, there’s always going to be responsibilities and people that may not like it, but that forms the character of a person and societies even nations. I want my children and my grandchildren get to know what is a marriage as my parents and my grand parents did, is the free union of a man and a woman. "
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Anonymous wrote on Mar 5, 2010 12:56 PM:
I wonder if the pastors who participated in this rally are aware than Senator Monserrate is pro-abortion, or that he co-sponsored a dangerous, anti-woman piece of pro-abortion legislation known as the Reproductive Health Act. That doesn't sound like a very Christian stance for him to take, or for these pastors to support. Has Monserrate had a recent change of heart on this issue? Or is the issue just being conveniently sidestepped?
I am sorry to see that these well-meaning pastors are standing by Monserrate politically. It is one thing to be kind to someone who is in a bad situation (which is a good and Christian thing to do), and it is quite another to urge people to vote for him. I believe that Senator Monserrate ought to apologize and take responsibility for his actions, and then retire from public life and work to make amends. I certainly could not vote for him in good conscience. I hope he loses. His continued presence in the Senate would be a disgrace to the State of New York. "