Monserrate Steps Down As Committee Chair Following Indictment

With all of the usual problems facing the Democratic majority in the state senate these days—trying to concentrate on formulating a budget with a huge deficit and getting a load of negative publicity for short-circuiting a mass transit solution that will cause fares to skyrocket—the last thing they needed was one of their members facing a criminal indictment earlier this week.

Although the indictment returned against state Senator Hiram Monserrate on Monday by a Queens grand jury was expected, it added to the discomfort being experienced by the party these days.

Still maintaining his innocence of the charge of slapping around his girlfriend last December 16, during which she sustained a deep cut near her left eye, Monserrate continued to maintain the incident was accidental.

However, as a consequence of the formal charges, the 41-year-old Jackson Heights/Corona lawmaker was temporarily relieved of his chairmanship of the Consumer Affairs Committee. He had already deferred taking a $12,500 salary supplement that goes with the extra duties when he was appointed to the post in January.

Rival Republicans demanded Monserrate's resignation. Senator Martin Golden, a Brooklyn GOPer and, like Monserrate an ex-cop, again called for his scalp. Previously, Golden said the charges against Monserrate were serious enough to warrant Monserrate's not being sworn in. But the Dems ignored Golden's demands both times.

Meanwhile, there were reports that Monserrate turned down a deal from the District Attorney's office to plead guilty to a misdemeanor assault rap in return for serving a year in jail. The Queens lawmaker and his attorney said he'll be exonerated if he goes to trial. He's to be arraigned on the charges in a day or two.

ONORATO BACKS OBAMA'S LABOR PICK: President Barack Obama nominated New York State Labor Commissioner Patricia Smith last week to serve in his administration as Labor Department solicitor. State Senator George Onorato heartily endorsed her for the job.

Onorato (D- Astoria), who had served as ranking Democrat on the senate Labor Committee before becoming committee chairman recently, hailed Smith's nomination, declaring the president "couldn't have made a better choice in deciding to put her to work on behalf of America's working men and women".

Onorato stated, "Ever since she was appointed as State Labor Commissioner in 2007, Patricia Smith has made a name for herself as an unstinting advocate for working people who has strongly enforced the state's labor laws to protect employees from wage violations, unsafe working conditions and other abuses."

Onorato continued: "Smith's efforts to protect workers and ensure that they are paid and treated fairly have been nothing short of being extraordinary.

"In 2008 alone, the Labor Department collected and distributed almost $25 million to workers who were illegally denied their proper wages, including more than $5 million provided to employees of Jin Shun Incorporated, a garment contractor in my own senate district."

Before getting elected to the senate, Onorato served as secretary-treasurer of Bricklayers' Local 41 for 15 years.

MAYOR SCORES POINTS: Mayor Michael Bloomberg scored big last week when the federal judiciary ruled that the changes enacted in the city's term limits statute did not violate minority voting rights. This clears the way for the mayor's run for a third term, although the group challenging the term limits changes appealed the court's decision.

On the campaign front, the mayor picked up a helpful endorsement from a prominent black minister, the Rev. A.R. Bernard of Brooklyn's 30,000-member Christian Cultural Center.

The endorsement helps Bloomberg in the black community, which is expected to strongly support the mayor's likely opponent, City Comptroller William Thompson, who is black. Also seeking the Democratic nomination is City Councilmember Tony Avella (D- Bayside).

Bernard acknowledged Thompson as a great friend, but he chose the incumbent as "a proven manager".

Meanwhile, Thompson released a proposal to reduce the mayor's power as head of the city school system. The comptroller said he favored reauthorizing mayoral control over the 1 million-student system, but he proposed eliminating the current Panel for Education Policy and replacing it with a nine-member school board appointed by the mayor from a pool of nominees recommended by a nominating committee comprised of a cross-section of New Yorkers.

Thompson, testifying before the Assembly Education Committee, stated, "With an enormous stake in their children's educational success, parents must have a true voice in the decisions that impact their children's schools. It is time to put the 'public' back in public education."

This signals that mayoral control will be a major issue in the mayoral campaign if Thompson becomes the Democratic Party candidate against Bloomberg. Last week, this became a bigger possibility as Congressmember Anthony Weiner; who had been expected to seek the Democratic Party nod, announced he was suspending his mayoral campaign until further notice.

MAJOR BOOST FOR WEPRIN: In another citywide campaign, the one to elect a successor to Thompson as comptroller, Councilmember David Weprin, one of several candidates vying to succeed Thompson, announced that former Mayor David Dinkins, the city's first black chief executive, had agreed to serve as co-chairman of Weprin's campaign. The other co-chairman is former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer.

Weprin now gets a foot in the door to the major black and Hispanic voting blocs in the Democratic primary against two other announced candidates, Councilmembers Melinda Katz and John Liu, both from Queens, and David Yassky of Brooklyn.

ENDORSE: Jimmy Van Bramer, a senior executive in the Queens Public Library system and Community Board 2 member, has been endorsed for election to the 26th City Council District seat by the 1,100-member Queens Library Guild, Local 1321. Van Bramer, a Democrat, is seeking the seat presently held by Councilmember Eric Gioia, who is running for the Public Advocate post.

Another candidate seeking the seat is Henry Briffel.

ON THE WEB: Friends of Heidi Harrison Chain have launched a Web site, www.heidichain.com, to broadcast Chain's "accomplishments, vision and positions on the key issue" in her campaign for the 29th City Council District seat being vacated by Councilmember Melinda Katz, who's running for city comptroller.

CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: Dan Halloran, Republican candidate for the 19th City Council District seat, will hold his campaign kickoff at Uncle Jack's Steak House, 39-40 Bell Blvd., Bayside on Sunday, April 5 from 2 to 5 p.m. Special invited guests who will join Halloran in launching his maiden campaign include state Senator Frank Padavan (R- C, Bellerose) and newly elected Councilmember Eric Ulrich, another Republican who just won the special election for the Ozone Park/Howard Beach seat in South Queens.

Halloran will face one of several Democrats who have announced their intentions to run for the seat. These include Paul Vallone, son of former City Council Speaker Peter Vallone and brother of Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. of Astoria.

The 19th Council District is presently represented by Councilmember Tony Avella who is seeking the Democratic nomination to run for mayor.