Monserrate Back As Committee Chairman (Updated)
The state Comptroller’s Office confirmed this morning’s report that it received a letter from Senate president Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, last week to release a $12,500 stipend to indicted Sen. Hiram Monserrate, D-Queens, who had been stripped of his committee chairmanship in March.
Monserrate is back as chairman of the Consumer Protection Committee, Senate sources confirmed.
Smith quietly sought the stipend for Monserrate after Monserrate agreed last month to return to the Democratic conference after leading the June 8 coup. The Comptroller’s Office said the $12,500 check was cut for Monserrate on Friday.
Monserrate is accused of slashing his girlfriend in the face last year with a broken glass.
Marcia Pappas, president of the state chapter of the National Organization for Women, accused Democrats of cutting a deal with Monserrate.
“I think there has been some backroom deals made and this is the carrot that they dangled to get him to come back,” she said. “It’s really a shame that the Democratic leadership has ignored what’s happened in the past with him, and I think women should be outraged.”
Updated: Here’s Smith’s letter:
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Whose signature is this, Millard P. Fillmore? Or, Melil Q. Seve?