Woman Slasher Monserrate v. Parrot Peralta: Who's Worse?

Monserrate (left) and Peralta

With a special election for his old Queens seat scheduled for tomorrow, expelled former senator Hiram Monserrate is down 42 points in the polls with Democrat Jose Peralta favored to win. Monserrate was convicted of slashing his girlfriend Karla Giraldo in 2008, briefly abandoned the Democratic Party and voted for legislation to ban gay marriage, but some critics say Peralta is hardly an improvement. According to the Daily News, he's accused of directing $500,000 to a long-defunct nonprofit (he claims he realized his mistake and got most of it back), but that's not all.

Based on his record, NY Magazine's Chris Smith thinks Peralta's politics are politics as usual. For one thing, his first employer in politics was corrupt former assemblyman Brian Mclaughlin, who in 2007 pleaded guilty to stealing $3.1 million while in office. Next, Peralta was himself elected to the assembly where, Smith says, he "has been a dependable cog in Shelly Silver’s machine ever since." Higher-ups have helped him along, as have powerful unions who've all given him their blessing. But with all those inside ties, some worry he'll have no loyalty left for the public. “Jose is smart,” a fellow Queens Democrat says. “But he isn’t an improvement at all for the Senate as a whole. At least Hiram was at times an independent advocate. You won’t get that out of Jose.”

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Sabrina Jaszi in News on March 15, 2010 3:28 PM

Comments [rss]

Spook

Thanks Freeman. I just ordered the

Gucci_Low_man-168! and its accompanying Jacket!

bobchadwick

At least our state representatives don't give standing ovations to child molesters among their ranks. Although, they probably would, given the chance.

Gregoire

New Yorkers, you without sin, cast the first stone.

We live in a state where David Patterson is governor and replacement of Eliot Spitzer.

Scott Rose

Somebody needs to fasten their thinking cap a little tighter.

We have Peralta, firmly committed to civil rights for gay people, and Monserrate, who accepted a political endorsement from Reverend Ricardo Reyes, who said "I have seen a whole generation of children sunk down by the gay community."

It is absurd even to imply that Peralta is "as bad" or "worse" than Monserrate.

Doctor Memory

Who's worse: the hack or the hack who's also a girlfriend-slasher?

Um, actually that's not really a difficult question. Hint: it's the slasher.

Spook

Ironic that the people of Washington D.C. have less democratic rights than the people of Queens who clearly cannot properly govern themselves. I think Bloomberg should appoint the next state Senator from Queens, or the people of Iraq who clearly understand democracy better than the people of Queens

Polite New Yorker

You mean the people of Washington D.C. who re-elected a crackhead as mayor and then put him on the city council, where he was recently censured for corruption? It's sad to see Queens compared to D.C. in any capacity. The people of D.C. should be thankful their elected local leaders don't have more power.

what_a_dick

ugh what dicks

MT

Stay classy, Queens.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

Peralta voted yes to eliminate student metro cards. He has pass only one bill during his 7 years at assembly. He lied on ny1 that he didn't sent ou the 40 stitches literature. Then his office called and admitted he send out the literature. Peralta is too involved with the corrupt Queens machine and Christine Quinn

peoplewatching

but what if I don't want to vote for a giant douche or a turd sandwich?

Angelheaded Hipster

why won't people learn? why do they always invest hope in the NEXT politician to straighten everything out? its some kind of mental disorder, and the politicians live on it