Booing the Att’y General: That Brings a Crackdown?
THE ISSUE: An investigation after firefighters booed NY Attorney General Letitia James at a ceremony.
• So let me get this straight — FDNY Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh invites a controversial person to a promotion ceremony (“FDNY ‘smoke out’ vs. Tish ‘Trump’,” Mar. 10). She knows, or should know, this person will be unpopular with the rank and file. Then she wants to go after them for exercising their constitutional rights?
What was the purpose of inviting state Attorney General Letitia James? To make those in attendance bow down to her?
In over 40 years in the FDNY, I don’t remember the attorney general being present at any of our promotion ceremonies.
Lastly, many of the members attending this event were not on duty and not in uniform. And since they weren’t, they were not representing the Fire Department.
Therefore they all had every right to express their opinions.
Steven Kubler Stewart Manor
• The top FDNY brass’ decision by to hunt down firefighters and staffers who exercised their constitutional right to free speech by booing James is more proof of the totalitarian approach that liberal-run government takes to dissent.
The crowd booed James for her blatant political prosecution of a person she had initially promised to prosecute during her election campaign. If any municipal union booed former President Donald Trump at an event like this one, no action would be taken whatsoever. Christopher O’Keefe
Manhattan
• As the persecution of the firefighters who booed this evil, radical leftist James commences, I want to point out that the only person who is guilty of “unbecoming conduct” is Kavanagh.
She should have known better than to pollute an FDNY event with a person who is making a mockery of the criminaljustice system in New York.
Remember: Our city’s firefighters are still held in high regard around America. So the impending punishment they may receive will only serve to enhance Trump’s approval around our nation. Robert Reeg
Stony Point
• Glad to see the Constitution is allowed to be suspended at the whims of social-justice warriors.
Apparently, the FDNY doesn’t have to honor the First Amendment. And now James’ feelings being hurt is reason enough for Kavanagh to start a major investigation into firefighters for expressing their opinions.
Amazing how we’ve been told that Trump is a threat to our democracy. Michael Murphy
Mahopac
• Did I miss the part that explains why James is beyond reproach? Respect in public service is earned and not implied. While a majority of the city shudders at the thought of having to tempt fate and ride the train to work, James decided that prosecuting someone for a victimless crime was the way to make her bones.
Astonishingly, when she hears a bit of backlash for it from people with, God forbid, differing opinions, a full-scale investigation is therefore warranted.
We are going down a very dangerous path — in so many ways.
Gary Kaelin
Commack
• I’m sure if the firefighters yelled “from the river to the sea” or booed Trump, they would have immediately been investigated as well . . . yeah, right. Bob Libonati
Barnegat, NJ
• To paraphrase lawyer Alan Dershowitz, whoever erred had a constitutional right to do so, and the government has no power to punish them for it.
Do James and Kavanagh — both Democrats — believe they are above the law? They are not.
To the FDNY union heads: You must either support your rank and file or resign.
And the recent $375plus million judgment against Trump was a travesty. No crime was committed, yet the judge probably decided that Trump was guilty before the trial even got started.
That judge should never hear a case again. Has anyone heard from the New York Bar?
The legal system in New York is akin to that of a communist country. Owen Kelly
Valley Stream