A key ally of Mayor Michael Bloomberg was among a handful of officials and activists that filed a lawsuit Monday against the mayor over the change in the city's term limits law.

Former Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari is heading up the suit, filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, which says that voters should have been allowed to weigh in on the matter.

Molinari says the mayor wielded too much power to make sure he could run again.

"That's wrong," said the former borough president. "That's not a democracy as we know it. As a matter of fact, it flies in the face of democracy. So, it bothered me very deeply, although I'm a friend of the mayor's and I think he's been a great mayor."

He's joined on the suit by City Council members Charles Barron, Leticia James, Bill DeBlasio, and Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum.

"This action is to give the people of New York a chance," said Comptroller Bill Thompson, an opponent of the law and a possible mayoral candidate. "To not have their voice, their vote in the past arbitrarily cast aside. We're confident that this is a case that belongs in federal court."

"My appearance here today will hopefully assist in winning this legal battle," said Michael Long, chairman of the state's Conservative Party. "This was the most unjust act by a legislative body, which took away the rights of the citizens of this city."

Twice voters approved the two-term limit law.

Molinari was forced from office in 2001 because of term limits. He was also one of Bloomberg's biggest supporters in his first run for mayor.

If the lawsuit fails, Molinari says he would consider supporting Bloomberg in 2009 if he goes back to being a Republican.

"If he wants me to support him, he'd have to sit down," said Molinari. "Because if he wants the Republican nomination, there are certain things he has to promise the Republicans, which they haven't received in the past."

City officials responded to the lawsuit with the following statement:

"We believe the claims lack merit, and are confident that the court will determine that the amendment to the term limits law was proper and lawful."

Bloomberg last week signed the law allowing elected city officials to serve three consecutive four-year terms. It was passed last month by a divided City Council.