Newly released e-mails show New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office worked behind the scenes for organizers of a proposed mosque and Islamic community center near ground zero.
The mosque a few blocks from ground zero hit critical mass in the public eye last summer, and the mayor left no doubt then about where he and his administration stood.
But a group of 9/11 families opposed to the mosque and cultural center called Park 51, says the mayor exerted political pressure to get the mosque built and produced documents Thursday that they say support their claims.
In January, a person associated with the project wrote a mayoral aide saying, “I need your help, we need your help making sure we are granted a particular kind of permit this Friday.”
The aid writes back, “Please go see Deputy Borough Commissioner Raymond Plumey, he is aware of your issues.”
And in May, an administration official helps draft a letter for the mosque proponents saying, “What we hope the letter will do, is get the media attention off of everyone’s backs and give you guys time to regroup on your strategy.”
But the mayor’s office says they do this same type of work for everyone, “From helping prepare for a papal visit to expediting approval for a Jewish Sukkah in a Midtown Manhattan park, this kind of assistance is typical its regular work.”
(Source: WABC)
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6 Responses
Mr. Bloomberg…shame on you. The People of NYC voted you in as Mayor..you represent the People who voted you into office. The People do NOT wanted the mosque and cultural center near ground zero. How can you support this issue? You can have your feelings, whatever they are, but you shouldn’t voice them..you’re a public official doing a public job for the public at large.
Thanks Wikileaks
The city should neither be supporting nor opposing developments such as this — or any other. The Park51 developers have the right to build there under current zoning and we should get out of their way (which includes not using bogus landmarking regulations). The role of the city government should simply be to grant the needed permits.
You New Yorkers only have yourselves to blame. You should have bounced him out of office.
#4,
I did not vote for Bloomberg, but most of the frum community did. There is an apartment building a block from me that is a single election district; it voted for Bloomberg 130 to 1! Had the frum community even split evenly, Bloomberg would no longer be mayor.
#3 – You said it. The day government CH”V bans a building because of religion will be a dark day America, and for us jews in particular.