Candidate’s Campaigning, Fundraising on 9/11 Reaches a New Low

On Sept. 11, 2001, as a then-NYPD lieutenant, I was part of the initial Level 4 Mobilization to respond to the World Trade Center, and I arrived with my officers just as United Flight 175 slammed into WTC 2.

Each year I am proud to take a leadership role in the morning ceremony by veterans and to see how residents and elected officials of both major parties come together in unity, taking a day off from campaigning out of respect for those we lost as a result of 9/11 and in the 20-year war on terror.

That’s why I was so disappointed to see Putnam residents talking about a candidate for the 94^th Assembly District, Zack Couzens, making fundraising appeals on September 11. Specifically, his fundraising text on 9/11 states “Please Stand With Me.”

ME.

That is contrary to everything that 9/11 reflections represent. September 11 is the one day that we stand united. Even in our prayer we beg that, on this one day, we put aside our petty political differences, not “Please Stand With Me.” I looked further and could not find candidate Couzens’ attendance at any of the seven area September 11 memorial services.

So many in our great nation have sacrificed so much as a result of 9/11, whether it’s all those killed and wounded in the initial attack, those who have died from 9/11-related cancers or members of our great military who’ve died in the war on terror. And now Mr. Couzens wants to represent them.

As a first responder who looked up to see the second plane hitting the south tower and watching multiple victims jump to their deaths from the upper floors, I found Mr. Couzens indifference and lack of awareness on one of our most tragic days to be very disrespectful to our police, firefighters, our veterans and our nation.

Andrew DeStefano
Patterson

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