$87G to ex-con pol
Dirty Hiram gets biggest lift of any Council hopeful
A DISGRACED ex-pol convicted of domestic violence and political corruption is getting big bucks from taxpayers to fund his comeback bid.
Queens City Council hopeful Hiram Monserrate was awarded $87,218 in public matching funds, by far the largest payment among $266,020 given out to 24 candidates Thursday by the Campaign Finance Board.
Monserrate, a former councilman and state senator, was booted from the Senate after he allegedly slashed his girlfriend’s face with glass, and was convicted of misdemeanor assault for dragging her through an apartment building hallway. In a separate incident, he pleaded guilty to misusing taxpayer cash and was sentenced to two years in jail.
The Queens Democrat is running against Assemblyman Francisco Moya for the Corona and Elmhurst seat now held by Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, who isn’t running for reelection.
Gov. Cuomo on Thursday threw his political weight behind Moya.
“Contrasted with Hiram Monserrate’s shameful record of domestic violence and abusing the public trust, the choice could not be more clear,” Cuomo said. “I’m proud to endorse Francisco Moya for City Council in the 21st District and I know he will continue to be a true champion of Democratic values.”
The Moya-Monserrate primary is one of the most closely watched of the City Council primary races this year.
In backing Moya, Cuomo cited the assemblyman’s record on schools, expanding tenant protections, raising the minimum wage, and criminal justice reforms.
“Francisco Moya is a proven leader for Central Queens, while his opponent’s actions have disqualified him from public service,” Cuomo said.
The governor, who grew up in Queens, has now endorsed four Council candidates from the borough ahead of the Sept. 12 primaries.
But he has yet to say who he is backing in the mayor’s race. The governor and Mayor de Blasio have gone from friends to political foes since the mayor took office in 2014.
The Democratic establishment has coalesced around Moya, including the seven potential candidates for City Council speaker who not only backed the assemblyman but said they would not seek or accept the support of Monserrate in their speaker bids should he be elected.
Moya got $95,095 in matching funds earlier this month. Under the city’s campaign finance system, if a candidate raises enough money to qualify they can get matching funds at a rate of $6 to $1 for the first $175 contributed by city residents. So far this year the board has approved $8.4 million in payments to 74 candidates.