From op-ed in the Huffington Post by State Senator Brian X. Foley:In the year 2010 violence against women simply cannot be tolerated, whether the culprit is an everyday person or a powerful elected official.
I fully understand that expelling Mr. Monserrate will cost my conference a crucial Democratic vote (Democrats currently control the Senate with a 32-30 margin) and may make me, as the sponsor of the expulsion resolution, unpopular with my own party leadership.
However, standing up against domestic violence is a cause worth any political price necessary.
By simply giving Mr. Monserrate a slap on the wrist, we would be sending exactly the wrong signal to both men and women: you can get away with violence against women if you hold a position of power. Mr. Monserrate's actions represent a pattern of behavior unbecoming of a senator.
The New York State Senate is a place where we work to achieve reform and help our state turn the corner on this recession. It should also be a place where we openly debate and disagree with each other. But I will not allow it to be a place that welcomes those who inflict violence upon women, whether they're Democrats or Republicans.
We can start by expelling Senator Monserrate and standing up against domestic violence.
