Broke and disgraced ex-pol Hiram Monserrate lost his high-powered defense lawyer yesterday when a judge refused to let Monserrate use taxpayer money to pay his bills.
Manhattan federal Judge Colleen McMahon told the unemployed Queens Democrat that only a defendant who can afford to pay for legal representation gets to choose his lawyer.
She also called Monserrate’s past relationship with lawyer Joseph Tacopina “absolutely irrelevant” to the rules governing the selection of court-appointed lawyers.
Tacopina — who said he charges $750 an hour — previously represented Monserrate on domestic-violence charges that got him booted from the Senate.
Monserrate, who is now charged with misusing more than $100,000 while serving on City Council, declined to comment.
In recent court papers, he claimed he had $128,000 in debts and only $100 to his name.
His new lawyer, James Neuman, also declined comment.
Tacopina — who wrote that Monserrate stiffed him despite assurances “that he would have the funds available to retain us” — said he didn’t have any hard feelings.
Tacopina also said he wouldn’t be sending Monserrate an invoice for his unpaid fees, insisting that not every case is about “billable hours.”