Firefighters in the Big Apple are currently booing Fire Chief Laura Kavanaugh after New York State Attorney Letitia James apologized for being jeered by pro-Trump attendees at an FDNY promotion ceremony.
Mr. Kavanaugh visited the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn on Sunday and said he was disappointed that Mr. James was subjected to boos and “Trump” chants during a promotional event last week.
“We have decades of training and discipline, and no one wants to see that undermined by the unprofessional conduct of a few people,” Kavanaugh said. According to NY1.
But members of New York’s Bravest newspaper told the Post that she could continue to apologize.
“I wasn’t there, but if I had been, I would have screamed Trump’s name because that’s my constitutional right to free speech,” one disgruntled Brooklyn firefighter said Monday. Ta. “I don’t need the Secretary to apologize for my American rights.”
Queens firefighters agreed.
“I think this is a waste.” [Kavanagh’s] “I have time, but I don’t know what else she’s doing,” he said, adding, “The Secretary has made this political by inviting politicians to speak.”
James, who won a $454 million civil judgment against Trump last month, came under fire from some in the crowd at Thursday’s FDNY ceremony, sparking a subsequent department investigation to find the perpetrator.
An internal memo obtained by The Post this week said department leaders were concerned that the stunt would also damage relationships with churches that have used the venue in the past.
The FDNY Bureau of Investigation and Trials has since reviewed video footage of the ceremony to identify the perpetrators, but has not said what punishment the firefighters may face.
Uniformed Firefighters Association president Andrew Ansbro said the violence at Sunday’s ceremony was “disappointing” but said the union supported its members.
“We’re all kind of disappointed in what happened. It wasn’t a political event,” he said. “Letitia James has always been a friend of UFA. This was unfortunate. It was inside a church. That’s not the place to do that.”
The jeers began almost as soon as James took to the stage at a promotion ceremony for 34 FDNY civilian employees and 29 Fire Department employees.
“Oh, come on,” she said to the crowd. “We are in God’s house. Let’s boil it down first.”
But as Mr. James continued speaking, the boos turned into chants directed at Mr. Trump.
James’ attendance broke with tradition, as the mayor has historically been the only elected official invited to speak at promotion ceremonies.
“On behalf of the New York City Fire Department, I apologize for the inconvenience,” Kavanaugh said. I said it at church on Sunday.. “The Fire Department is not only the greatest department in the world, but also the most professional fire department in the world, and we tarnished that reputation on Thursday.”
The Uniformed Fire Officers Association, which represents police lieutenants, firefighters and other officers, urged caution for anyone who may be accused of the incident.
“We advise all members to abide by departmental rules and regulations during these visits and any subsequent investigations that may result,” the UFOA said in a message to its members.
“However, if a member feels that they are the subject of an investigation due to the nature of a particular question, they must immediately notify UFOA and request representation. The investigation should not continue.”
But another Brooklyn firefighter derided the department’s investigation into heckling, citing an earlier FDNY investigation into leaked meetings with fire chiefs that angered many in the ranks and was never resolved. Published on.
“BITS (Bureau of Investigation and Trials) investigated a meeting attended by hundreds of people to find out who was yelling, but they were unable to find the person who leaked the tape of the meeting, which had only about 10 people in attendance. “It’s ironic that it happened,” he said.
“It smells like politics.”
Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy
