Disgraced Queens pol hit with massive campaign finance penalties

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Former lawmaker and convicted felon Hiram Monserrate was hit with a large penalty for campaign finance violations during his 2017 City Council run. AP Photo/Mike Groll.

Former lawmaker and convicted felon Hiram Monserrate was hit with a large penalty for campaign finance violations during his 2017 City Council run. AP Photo/Mike Groll.

By Victoria Merlino 

Disgraced Queens lawmaker Hiram Monserrate was hit with a staggering $26,473 in penalties by the New York City Campaign Finance Board for violations inccured during his City Council run for Councilmember Francisco Moya’s seat in 2017. 

Monserrate, who is making a run for State Assembly, received seven violations over the 2017 campaign, including “failing to demonstrate compliance with cash receipts reporting and documentation requirements,” “failing to report and document basic campaign functions/ activities,” and “failing to demonstrate that spending was in furtherance of the campaign.” 

The largest penalty was for exceeding the expenditure limit for candidates accepting public funding for their campaign, which was set at $182,000 in 2017. Monserrate exceeded the amount by $12,124.16, and was penalized $24,248 for the violation. 

A spokesperson for Monserrate did not return a request for comment.  

Monserrate was expelled from the State Senate in 2010 following a domestic violence-related misdemeanor assault charge for assaulting his then-girlfriend. Monserrate also was convicted of mail fraud and conspiracy stemming from his time in the City Council, where he used public funds to pay for another campaign. He is currently a district leader in Queens. 

Monserrate wasn’t the only Queens pol who NYCCFB told to pay up. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz also received $942 in penalties for violations during her 2017 bid for Queens borough president, and was asked to repay $135,823.57 in public funds that she did not use during the campaign. 

"Melinda Katz has always been proud of her record participating in New York’s landmark campaign finance program,” a campaign spokesperson for Katz told the Eagle. “After the post-election audit, the CFB identified 3 minor clerical errors resulting in small fines totaling just over $900 for her 2017 campaign that spent well over $1 million, which she has paid. In addition, she proudly returned over $135,000 in taxpayer funds to the city."