Monserrate Expelled...But Is it Legal ?

Nobody thinks much of Senator Hiram Monserrate of Queens....He was convicted of roughing up his girlfriend and is widely thought to have slashed her face with a broken wine glass. He has a thuggish demeanor and became a symbol of why Democrats from NYC may not be the best choice to control the State Senate....The vote was 53-8.
However....there was a lack of due process in bouncing a sitting senator for the first time since the Civil War. His conviction was a misdemeanor and Montserrate has pledged to fight the matter in court....That is expensive and time consuming and those in favor of expulsion figure he won't be able to compete against the Senate counsel who will seek to enforce the expulsion.
Meanwhile another rogue Democrat, Senator Ruben Diaz is talking about bolting the caucus again, thus throwing control of the Senate in question.
All this stuff may seem like downstate feuding, except all of this will become the central talking point for electing a Republican senator fron the 48th District. The continuing turmoil and controversy in the Democratic caucus...while not the fault of Darrel Aubertine.....is going to be his biggest challenge in the coming race against Republican Patricia Ritchie. If Monserrate fights and wins his seat back ..the fester continues and then there are the possible charges against Pedro Espapda, another problem child for the Dems.....
This is a tough year upstate to run on the mantra of "keep the Democrats in charge of the Senate." Senator Aubertine's charm and personal popularity will be tested this year....
Dailypolitics - NY Daily News