Former Fire Department of New York Commissioner Tom Von Essen urged Mayor Zohran Mamdani to stay away from the upcoming 25th anniversary 9/11 memorial ceremony, stating that the mayor's presence would cause distress to victims' families.
"It's a rough day. The families don't need any more angst and Mamdani is going to bring angst," Von Essen told The Post. Von Essen, who led the FDNY during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, during which 343 firefighters died, cited Mamdani's recent actions as an insult to those affected.
Von Essen referenced a ceremony where Mamdani signed two 9/11-related executive orders and symbolically handed the pen to his chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem, who has previously represented an al-Qaeda terrorist with ties to the Pentagon attack. "He's a very smart guy. He's a genius at manipulating people," Von Essen said of the mayor.
A change.org petition with over 100,000 signatures also calls for Mamdani to skip the ceremony. Von Essen, who also served as the NY-NJ regional head for FEMA during the COVID-19 outbreak, stated, "The families don't want him there. One hundred thousand people signed a petition telling him to stay away. I signed the petition." He added, "He's not big enough to stay away knowing he will be a distraction."
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Gov. George Pataki have also voiced opposition to Mamdani attending the memorial. Giuliani stated that the idea of Mamdani attending "offends me," having lost friends and been close to many families affected by the attacks. Pataki suggested that anyone who has not distanced themselves from left-wing influencer Hasan Piker, a Mamdani supporter who once stated "America deserved 9/11," should not attend.
Mamdani, who was nine years old on 9/11, has stated his intention to attend several 9/11 ceremonies to honor victims and first responders. "I want this week to be a focus on the families whose loved ones were stolen from them 25 years ago in the horrific act of terrorism on Sept. 11 and focus on the first responders who gave everything they could to this city and the people who came together for their fellow New Yorkers," he said. "In the days to come my focus will be on attending events that memorialize that incredible courage and I will be there at the memorial just as I was last year."
Mamdani's office clarified that the pen was given to Kassem due to his role as chief counsel, responsible for drafting executive orders. "Chief Counsel Kassem attended the signing both to perform his official responsibilities and because he is personally invested in these executive orders as a longtime New Yorker who was in New York City on that terrifying day 25 years ago," a City Hall spokesman said.