KRUEGER DUMPS SENATOR

State Sen. Liz Krueger said it was unfortunate that her erstwhile colleague Hiram Monserrate did not resign after being convicted of assaulting his girlfriend. Instead, a bipartisan panel was formed and recommended his expulsion from the Legislature. Krueger voted with most of her colleagues in support of the measure that passed, 53 to eight. â??Voting to expel a member of the New York State Senate is not a decision to be taken lightly, Krueger said in a Feb. 10 statement following her vote. This was the first time in nearly a century since a sitting member of the Legislature was removed from office. Krueger was the first Democrat to call for his ouster or resignation back in October, when Monserrate was found guilty of misdemeanor assault against his girlfriend, but was cleared of deliberately slashing her face with glass, a felony. â??Violence against women is unacceptable and because of his actions, Hiram Monserrate had demonstrated he was not qualified to serve as a member of the Senate, Krueger said. Monserrate is appealing the vote, but a special election has been called to fill his seat.