A New York City firefighters union has reportedly criticized certain members for their behavior at an event featuring New York State Attorney General Letitia James, where boos and chants of “Trump” were heard. An investigation is currently underway to identify those involved in the incident.
James and her office have been at the forefront of the investigation into former President Donald Trump and his associates, who are accused of inflating his net worth and the value of his assets to obtain more beneficial business loans. This investigation led to a civil fraud lawsuit, which culminated in Judge Arthur Engoron finding the parties involved responsible for a series of fraudulent activities. In September, they were held liable for their actions. Subsequently, in February, Trump was directed to pay approximately $355 million in damages, which amounts to around $450 million after taking into account pre-judgment interest.
In the trial, Trump maintained his innocence, a stance he has consistently taken in all his ongoing legal battles. He also accused prosecutors of trying to undermine his chances in the 2024 presidential election. This allegation has been echoed by some of his supporters, who share his dissatisfaction in different ways.
During the promotion ceremony for FDNY’s new chaplain, Pamela Holmes, last week, some department members expressed their disapproval by booing and chanting Trump’s name while James, a friend of Holmes, was giving a speech. The UFOA, a prominent firefighter union in New York City, criticized the members for their inappropriate behavior considering the occasion. Materials reportedly shared with the Viral News NYC account on X, formerly Twitter, revealed the UFOA’s reaction to the incident.
One of the messages stated that starting today, deputy chiefs will be visiting each company present to talk about the incidents and give members the chance to share any information they have. Furthermore, they may inform members that the Department has obtained video footage of the event.
The union has provided explanations for their actions following the ceremony, as shared in another document by Viral News NYC. The document, which has been verified in a report by the New York Post, highlights that the chants and boos were considered “grossly inappropriate.” The union strongly emphasized that protesting, heckling, or booing anyone at a ceremony is deemed unacceptable. They acknowledged that members have the right to hold their own political beliefs, but they emphasized that such behavior was not appropriate towards James, as the ceremony was not a political event and the attorney general was not delivering a political speech.
The union’s members behaved in a way that was detrimental to their reputation and strained their relationship with James’s office. This behavior may have also resulted in them losing the privilege of using the same venue for future ceremonies.
“In conclusion,” stated the document, urging leaders to encourage members to step forward. “We want them to come to HQ, where they will receive education on why their behavior is unacceptable.”
The FDNY spokesperson, in a statement to Newsweek, confirmed the ongoing investigation and emphasized that it revolves around professionalism rather than politics.
According to the spokesperson, there is no intention to hunt anyone down. Instead, they are investigating individuals who have clearly violated department regulations. The focus is on maintaining professionalism during an official event that took place in a house of worship. The spokesperson emphasized that this investigation is not motivated by politics.
