(DailyVantage.com) – New York Attorney General Letitia James was met with boos and jeers when she spoke at a promotions ceremony for the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) recently.
James was ostensibly filling in for the mayor, who was traditionally the speaker at similar events in the past. The New York AG was met with boos and jeers from some members of the crowd as soon as she walked to the podium at the Christian Cultural Center’s Brooklyn Campus, where the ceremony was being held.
James acknowledged the heckling, saying, “Oh, c’mon, we’re in a house of God.”
She also said, “Simmer down,” adding, “Thank you for getting it out of your system.”
The hecklers were not done, though, as they started a chant of “Trump, Trump, Trump,” while James was delivering her speech. She congratulated the 65 individuals from the city’s EMS Operations, Fire Operations, and the Bureau of Fire Investigation who were being promoted at the ceremony. The NY AG also again acknowledged her hecklers, saying that she would be praying for the “men and women who exemplify true courage,” including those who were jeering her. “Nonetheless, I pray for them,” she said.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was the promotion of Rev. Pamela Holmes, who was elevated to chaplain of the FDNY, making her the first African-American woman to hold the position.
The New York Post reported that one of the firefighters – who requested anonymity – who booed the NYAG explained that several among their number were unhappy with James’ supposed “witch hunt” against the former president. James filed a civil fraud case against Trump and his sons last year, alleging that the former commander-in-chief made fraudulent claims regarding the value of certain real estate properties in order to secure more favorable deals from financial institutions. Trump and his adult sons were found guilty of fraud recently, and were ordered to pay out millions of dollars in fines, among other penalties.
In response to the incident, a memo issued by the Uniformed Fire Officers Association (UFOA) and Uniformed Firefighters Association that has been making the rounds on social media described the heckling as “grossly inappropriate” behavior and disrespectful to other firefighters. The memo said that while officers from the Fire Department are entitled to their political opinions, the ceremony was not political in nature but rather intended to celebrate the promotions of their colleagues.
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