When Democrats Attack: NYC Council Edition

Naturally, we get to play Name That Party here. Seems this Democrat is so filled with Yuletide cheer, hope, change and merriment he decided to take a beer bottle to his girlfriend's head. Allegedly, of course.

Outgoing City Councilman Hiram Monserrate was arrested early Friday after allegedly whacking his girlfriend over the head with a beer bottle, a police source said.

Monserrate and the unidentified victim arrived at Long Island Jewish Hospital about 4:30 a.m. Sources told the Daily News the woman had severe cuts to her face that required several stitches to close.

Cops later questioned the Queens lawmaker and charged him with assault.

Monserrate was lauded by colleagues just yesterday - his last day serving on the City Council. He's off to Albany after winning an uncontested race for the state senate seat held by former Sen. John Sabini.

The arrest puts Monserrate on an unfamiliar side of the law. He retired from the NYPD in 2000 after a 12-year stint. He's a founding member of the Latino Officers Association and served on the board of the American Civil Liberties Union while still on the police force.

A two-fer: Democrat and and ACLU member.

Nowhere to be found in the story is the word Democrat.

New York 1 is on the story, except they too omit the D-word. Even The Post can't find the room to ID him.

City Councilman and State State-senator-elect Hiram Monserrate, who touted himself as a staunch advocate of victims of domestic violence, was arrested early this morning for allegedly attacking and cutting his girlfriend with a broken bottle, police sources told the Post.

Monserrate, 41, who won election to the state Senate in November, brought his bleeding 30-year-old girlfriend to Long Island Jewish, sometime before 5 a.m. this morning, sources said. She had severe lacerations below the eye.

The Councilman was then questioned by police and promptly arrested on assault charges. The alleged attack took place at his Jackson Heights apartment.

Newsday has an account. They mention his party in the penultimate sentence.

The Queens Democrat was elected to City Council in 2001 and was elected last month to the state Senate. Colleagues praised Monserrate at a ceremony on Thursday, his last official City Council meeting.

The NY Observer may be the only news source that properly notes the party affiliation at the beginning of the story.

ALBANY—State Senator Malcolm Smith is not commenting on news that his fellow Queens Democrat and soon-to-be-colleague, Councilman Hiram Monserrate, is being held in connection with assaulting a woman earlier this morning.

Asked if Smith still accepts Monserrate's support in his bid for majority leader, Smith spokesman Austin Shafran said only, "We have no comment at this time."

Seems this Democrat has anger issues.

Monserrate is something of a controversy magnet.

n the wake of the assassination of Brooklyn Councilman James Davis in which a volunteer for a challenger to Monserrate was arrested for threatening to shoot the incumbent and two of his aides because the through they were engaged in ditry campaigning.

During the contentious primary between Monserrate and then-Sen. John Sabini in 2006, Sabini's campaign office was broken into and two computers were stolen. When Sabini ran against a Monserrate-backed candidate in 2004, one of the tires on the senator's car was slashed.

Back in January, Monserrate put out a press release condemning what he said was a "politically motivated" burglary of his office.

And then, of course, there is the connection between Monserrate and the Churcn of Scientology.

Trifecta! Democrat, ACLU member, Scientologist. Sounds like a swell guy.