At about the same time Hiram Monserrate will be at federal court filing a lawsuit to halt his expulsion from the State Senate, and prevent a March 15 special election to replace him, those who do support the decision to expel him will be having their own meeting.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and other lawmakers will announce their support for Assemblyman Jose Peralta’s bid to replace Monserrate, according to a media advisory from Peralta’s campaign. The event will be on the City Hall steps at 10 a.m.
For Quinn, who served alongside Monserrate for eight years, endorsing Peralta makes sense on a number of levels. Quinn has, generally, a good relationship with the Queens County Democratic Organization, which is backing Peralta. And policy wise, Quinn lobbied state senators to legalize same-sex marriage. The bill did was defeated, and Monserrate was one of a handful of Democrats to vote against the bill.
When the same issue came up in the Assembly, Peralta voted for it. Twice.
Also endorsing Peralta today is Julissa Ferraras, who worked as Monserrate’s chief of staff and who succeeded him in the Council. In fact, Monserrate (quietly) campaigned on her behalf and attended her victory party. Her endorsement may be the first sign that the usual base of support that has helped Monserrate win election after election in the area may not be with him this time around.
Also endorsing Peralta today are council members Danny Dromm, Mark Weprin and Peter Vallone Jr., who are all from Queens. Vallone, as chairman of the Public Safety Committee, will probably have some interesting stuff to say.
And one side note: Doing PR for Peralta’s campaign is Anne Fenton, an alumni from Bill Thompson’s mayoral campaign last year.
UPDATE: The campaign said the event was postponed because of a scheduling conflict.
