From Journal News:
With Afghanistan, the health-care debate and financial-sector reform sucking up so much of the oxygen in Washington, one might think that U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand would be far too busy to concern themselves with the circumstances of one thug constituent. But there they were earlier this week calling for the resignation of fellow Democrat Hiram Monserrate, the state senator convicted of misdemeanor assault last week for manhandling his girlfriend.
Theirs was wasted breath, no doubt, but the counsel was sound: New York puts up with all manner of rogue cheats and scoundrels, but surely it can draw the line on lawmakers who batter women.
Monserrate, who represents Queens, was convicted of the misdemeanor for dragging Karla Giraldo out of his building, in a scene captured by a surveillance camera. He was acquitted of felony charges that he deliberately cut Giraldo's face with a glass, notwithstanding trial testimony that Giraldo told hospital staff that the mayhem was no accident. She did not cooperate with prosecutors.
"Domestic violence has no place in our society, and certainly has no place in the state Legislature," said Gillibrand. "We must take a hard line against violence toward women in our society."
Monserrate doesn't get it; he called the face-cutting the result of a "terrible accident." But his fellow lawmakers should make plain that they appreciate the scourge that domestic violence is; the clearest message they can send would be to dump Monserrate.
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