You are reading

City Council Considering Legislation That Would Bar Monserrate From Running for City Office

Hiram Monserrate (Facebook)

Feb. 11, 2021 By Allie Griffin

The New York City Council is considering legislation that would effectively bar Hiram Monserrate and others guilty of corruption from running for local office.

The bill disqualifies anyone who has been convicted of certain felonies related to corruption or abuse of public office from being elected to major city offices.

The list of felonies includes bribery and theft of public funds, wire and mail fraud and other abuses of political office.

The bill — if passed — would end Monserrate’s bid for the 21st District City Council seat currently held by Council Member Francisco Moya. Moya is not term limited and is running for office again.

In 2012, the former city and state lawmaker pleaded guilty to misappropriating $100,000 in public funds to finance a campaign. Monserrate was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison.

The bill would bar him from holding the seat, representing East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights and Corona.

Monserrate was also convicted of misdemeanor assault and expelled from the State Senate in 2010, after being found guilty of attacking his girlfriend at the time.

The Democrat has repeatedly tried to get back into public office despite his criminal past.

Most recently, he failed to unseat incumbent Jeffrion Aubry for the 35th Assembly district in 2020. He also ran and lost against Moya in 2017 for the 21st District Council seat.

The legislation, sponsored by Brooklyn Council Member Justin Brannan, would bar Monserrate from the office of the mayor, public advocate, comptroller and borough presidents as well.

It would take effect immediately if passed.

Monserrate’s campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

One Comment

Click for Comments 
Catherine

This bill should have been passed years ago. Anyone who has a violent record and known to have defrauded their community, should not have the priviledge to serve the public in any capacity.

Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Catch the fall vibe at these western Queens breweries

Sep. 3, 2025 By Jessica Militello

September rings in the start of Oktoberfest from mid-September through October, featuring special brews, fun events and more fall fun. Western Queens is filled with breweries to enjoy seasonal brews, fall flavors and the start of cooler weather as Autumn approaches, making it a perfect time to meet up with friends at these local spaces.

Op-Ed | Four years after Hurricane Ida, Queens deserves real climate resilience

Sep. 2, 2025 By Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas

Four years ago, Hurricane Ida tore through our neighborhoods of East Elmhurst, Corona and Jackson Heights, leaving behind devastation we will never forget. We lost neighbors to the floodwaters. Families saw their homes destroyed, their basements wiped out, their lives upended. Immigrant families—so many of them undocumented—were hit the hardest, often excluded from relief altogether. Ida was not just a storm; it was a wake-up call.

Fall fun in western Queens: Your guide to the best seasonal events

Aug. 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello

With beach days and summer BBQs behind us, the start of September rings in the start of magnificent Fall foliage, Halloween and more fun activities that come with the start of Autumn, including a list of Fall events in the area. From apple picking to seasonal ciders and more, there is tons to explore in the community. From Mystic Markets to scary movie meet-ups and more, here is a list of Fall events you do not want to miss.

Fresh Meadows MS-13 gang associate sentenced to nearly a half-century in prison for murder of Corona teen in Kissena Park: Feds

An MS-13 gang associate from Fresh Meadows was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison on Tuesday, Aug. 26, for the 2018 slaying of a Corona teenager in Flushing’s Kissena Park.

Juan Amaya-Ramirez, 27, and his co-defendant Oscar Flores-Mejia, 25, from Elmhurst, who is also an associate of the transnational criminal organization, pleaded guilty to the murder of 17-year-old Andy Peralta in Brooklyn federal court last September.