Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Supporters of ousted state Sen. Hiram Monserrate say Jose Peralta is puppet of 'rich gay fanatics'

Supporters of ousted state Sen. Hiram Monserrate say Jose Peralta is puppet of 'rich gay fanatics'

Supporters of ousted state Sen. Hiram Monserrate are claiming his rival, Assemblyman Jose Peralta, is a pawn of "mega-rich gay fanatics" in an anti-gay flyer being handed out at churches in their Queens district.

Monserrate and Peralta - both Democrats - and several other candidates will face off in a special election next Tuesday to fill Monserrate's old seat. He is running to win back the job he was booted from by colleagues last month after being convicted of misdemeanor assault on his girlfriend.

The flyer says Peralta, who has the support of many gay leaders and groups, is the "leading spokesperson for the gay community's [sic] in N.Y.C." It says those groups "are dedicated to destroying our way of life and creating same sex marriage."

In a statement, Peralta shot back: "This flyer is just another example of how Hiram Monserrate thrives on bullying and hate-mongering."

Gay and lesbian groups have targeted Monserrate for his opposition to gay marriage. "With each hate-mongering, fear-rattling, equality-stunting volley, Hiram Monserrate digs another foot down into his political grave," said Valerie Berlin, a spokeswoman for the gay advocacy group Fight Back New York.

Monserrate, whose campaign could not be reached yesterday, has aligned himself with conservative church leaders opposed to gay marriage. He also has aligned himself with President Obama's "Yes We Can" slogan and logo - a move that drew a rebuke from Washington.

"The use of the logo is neither approved nor supported by Organizing for America. The [Monserrate] campaign did not seek nor do they have permission to use it. We are asking them to remove it from their materials," Obama campaign spokeswoman Linda Tran said.

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