Hiram Monserrate is off the ballot, but REBNY’s PAC is spending on Francisco Moya

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The Real Estate Board of New York’s Jobs for New York super PAC has spent $19,000 and counting on palm cards backing City Council Member Francisco Moya – even though he doesn’t even have a primary. 

Former Council Member Hiram Monserrate is trying yet another comeback after serving time in prison on corruption charges, but his name is off the ballot, after an Appellate Division court stayed enforcement of the lower court ruling that could have put him in the primary. Since the case technically isn’t an election law case, but rather an effort to challenge the constitutionality of the law barring people convicted of certain crimes from office, the court is taking its sweet time ruling. 

Even if Monserrate’s side does win, it may be too late to hold a primary in Council District 21. Early voting starts next week, and mail-in ballots are already out. “It’s an operational nightmare, if not an impossibility,” said city Board of Elections Deputy Executive Director Vincent Ignizio. 

So why spend? “Hiram is a bad guy. This is a no-brainer,” said one REBNY insider. And even if the possibility that Monserrate makes the ballot is incredibly slim? Well, real estate is pretty thankful for Moya’s work on the soccer stadium deal, and this is one way to show it, with strategic support from The Parkside Group. 

But Moya campaign spokesperson Matt Rey said there’s no influence trading here: “The one thing that unites everyone in New York City politics is how abhorrent Hiram Monserrate is as a potential candidate.”