New York’s junior Democratic senator Kirsten Gillibrand joins mayor Michael Bloomberg in opposing a trial for Khalid Sheikh Mohammad in civilian court in Manhattan. The New York Daily News reports:
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Nydia Velázquez have sided with President Obama’s GOP opponents in arguing the trial should not be held in New York City after all.
“I share the concerns from the Mayor and the businesses community, and I am open to alternative locations,” Gillibrand said in a statement this afternoon. “I do remain committed to bringing these heinous individuals to justice in the federal courts, and if the trial is held in New York, I will continue working to secure federal money for security costs so that New York taxpayers are not left with the bill.”
In a statement emailed to TWS on November 17, Senator Gillibrand said:
“We must avoid political wrangling and remain focused on seeking justice for the families who lost loved ones due to these terrorists’ heinous acts. I spoke with Attorney General Holder and I have complete confidence that law enforcement and the U.S. courts in New York can handle this task just as they have done in the past.”
What a difference a Republican senator from Massachusetts makes.
