Talk Bronx New York

The DN’s Erin Einhorn sent this video of yesterday’s press conference with Sen. Hiram Monserrate at which he compared himself to murdered civil rights workers and announced he had hired civil rights attorneys Norman Siegel and Steve Hyman to take his case.

You’ll notice as Einhorn pans the crowd that three Bronx Democrats - Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. and Assemblymen Jose Rivera and Peter Rivera - showed up to support their fellow Latino lawmaker, while no officials from Monserrate’s home county of Queens is present.

Diaz Sr. is a longstanding Monserrate supporter, but I was surprised to see the two Riveras (who are allies, but not relatives) on hand.

“It’s not a question of support; it’s a question of whether somebody is not getting the kind of fair treatment I think they should be getting,” Peter Rivera told me this morning.

“I think the Senate is treading on very dangerous ground when it tries to impeach one of their members for being found guilty of a misdemeanor. Those aren’t the rules that we have lived by in Albany. Ever.”

“I have an issue with changing the rules midstream and singling out individuals, particularly when they happen to be Hispanic.” Read more..

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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Many, if not all, of the Bronx’s elected officials have hosted, or attended, events and rallies designed to shed light on the crime (which is more prevalent in the Bronx than elsewhere in the city), honor the victims, and condemn the perpetrators.

It’s been interesting, then, following local pols’ reaction – or lack of reaction – to the conviction last week of State Sen. Hiram Monserrate of Queens, who was found guilty of misdemeanor assault of his girlfriend.

With the exception of Jeff Klein, not one of Monserrate’s Senate colleagues here in the Bronx have been willing to criticize him, at least publicly, let alone demand his removal from office.

State Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr., for one, seems amused, not angry. “We are still the Four Amigos!” Diaz told reporters – a reference to himself, Monserrate, Pedro Espada, and Carl Kruger – after Monserrate was found not-guilty of the more serious felony assault charge, which would have forced him to step down. Read more..

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State Sen. Jeffrey Klein wants a committee to start reviewing discipline for Sen. Hiram Monserrate.

 A top state senator wants a committee to start reviewing the issue of possible discipline for convicted Sen. Hiram Monserrate this week.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Klein (D-Bronx) doesn’t believe the chamber should wait until after Monserrate is sentenced in December on a charge of misdemeanor assault against his girlfriend.

A Senate committee can recommend sanctions against the embattled Monserrate ranging from censure to expulsion.

Klein refused to say whether he agrees with a number of his fellow Dems that Monserrate should resign or be ousted.

“We have a process to follow,” he said.

“It may very well lead to his ouster after the committee reviews the record and the law and Senate rules.”

Austin Shafran, spokesman for Senate President Malcolm Smith, said the Senate is considering further sanctions against Monserrate but wouldn’t put a timetable on them.

Five of Monserrate’s fellow Senate Democrats and Queens Democratic chairman Rep. Joseph Crowley publicly called on him to resign Friday.

Monserrate told the Daily News that he isn’t going anywhere.

Read more..

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