New York gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio (R) is getting a lot of flack for his video that uses 9/11 footage to oppose the proposed Cordoba House Islamic center a few blocks from Ground Zero.
Most recently, the New York City firefighters union sent Lazio a letter expressing “surprise and disappointment” that Lazio would use the imagery for an attack ad against Democrat Andrew Cuomo, and urging him to remove the video.
The firefighters letter, which can be read in full here, follows one by Ed Mullins of the NYPD Sergeants’ union that calls it “outrageous and offensive” that Lazio would “exploit” the imagery:
The images are used in an ad in which ordinary New Yorkers criticize New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is Lazio’s opponent in the upcoming election, for not investigating the funding of the proposed mosque to be built at Ground Zero.
It is both outrageous and offensive that Rick Lazio has chosen to exploit the tragedy of 9/11 by using graphic images from that day in his campaign,” said Mullins. “For someone whose argument against the mosque is that it is insensitive to those who lost loved ones on that day, it is unconscionable that he would display similar insensitivity by evoking these painful memories for his own political purposes. I believe his actions are as irresponsible as they are reprehensible, and would hope that he do the right thing and apologize for using this footage to promote his campaign.
New York Democrats chairman Jay Jacobs also called on Lazio to pull the “disgusting” video:
There’s no justification for using images of that tragic day in a cheap political ad, especially when it causes more pain to so many families who lost loves ones on Sept. 11. Lazio needs to remove those disgusting videos from his website and issue an apology to every New Yorker for having the gall to use the footage in the first place.
h/t Capitol Confidential.
Here’s the video:
Late Update: And here’s yet another Lazio ad using 9/11 imagery:
