New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office said Friday that he would host a parade – or another type of event – to honor the 9/11 first responders as President Donald Trump prepares to sign a permanent reauthorization of the Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Act into law.
“We’re going to work with families, first responders and advocates to determine exactly how they want to be honored and then make that a reality,” de Blasio spokesperson Freddi Goldstein told The Post.
“If they want a parade, they’ll get a parade.”
Earlier Friday, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to de Blasio requesting a parade for the 9/11 heroes, many of whom are due in D.C. Monday to watch President Trump sign the Victim Compensation Act bill into law.
“This is a great idea to honor our 9/11 first responders,” said Avery Cohen, another spokesperson for de Blasio. “We’ll be reaching out to families, first responders and advocates to put on a world class event to honor these heroes.”
Maloney had specifically pitched a parade down the Canyon of Heroes to honor the firefighters, police officers and other first responders who ran to the Twin Towers that day and in the week’s after – acts that made many first responders sick after inhaling toxic fumes.
“Rather than wait for eulogies to honor their service – and the sacrifice of all the 9/11 survivors – let us take this moment to celebrate their legacy of valor while they can be present to participate in it,” Maloney said in her letter to the mayor.
Earlier this week, de Blasio had wanted to join in the celebration following the Victim Compensation Fund bill’s passage in the Senate, but was rebuffed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-N.Y.) office, who only wanted the legislation’s Congressional sponsors and first responder advocates to attend.
On WABC Thursday, de Blasio said he didn’t “know how that request gets turned down.”
“I can’t imagine why anyone would do such a thing on a moment that should be a unifying moment,” he continued. “I find it unbelievable.”
Glen Caplin, a senior adviser to Gillibrand, scoffed to Politico, “It’s surprising that the mayor still doesn’t understand that this event was about the heroes who have fought for 15 years to get this done – not a last minute photo opportunity.”
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