New York GOP Members Of Congress Silent As Laura Loomer Fans 9/11 Conspiracies
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump angered at least some New Yorkers on Wednesday, Sept. 11, when he brought far-right 9/11 conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer to an event commemorating the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
“If anything’s sacred in this country, it should be 9/11. There are so many people who haven’t healed,” 9/11 responder John Feal said Thursday on CNN. “It’s an insult to those who have to fight for their lives now, who are sick and dying.”
On people spreading 9/11 conspiracy theories, “It’s pathetic. It’s comical,” Feal said. “But it hurts.”
Loomer, who spread conspiracy theories last year about 9/11 being “an inside job,” has been hanging around with Trump lately. On Friday, she fueled more conspiracies about the Sept. 11 attacks in a social media post suggesting the government is lying about what happened that day.
“Do NOT google Building 7,” Loomer wrote in another post on Friday, fanning a conspiracy theory about a building next to the World Trade Center catching fire and collapsing.
The White House condemned Trump’s association with Loomer this week. So did New York Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, who called Loomer’s attendance at the 9/11 event “shocking” and “offensive to the thousands of people who lost their lives.”
But there’s one group of people that’s been noticeably silent about Trump keeping a 9/11 conspiracy-peddler in his inner circle: New York’s Republican members of Congress.
There are 10 Republicans in New York’s congressional delegation. None have said anything publicly about Loomer’s false claims about 9/11, or about Trump bringing her to Ground Zero to commemorate the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.
HuffPost reached out to all 10 of them on Friday for comment.
Four responded. Of those, only one directly denounced Loomer.
“She’s disgraceful,” Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.) said in a statement before taking a shot at his Democratic rival, Josh Riley.
“Just like Josh Riley who profited off a 9/11 first responder scam,” he said, referring to a law firm Riley worked for that, according to Molinaro, defended people who sold predatory loans to 9/11 first responders. He did not provide any details about Riley’s involvement in this.
“As a Navy Veteran, I stand firmly in condemnation of reckless claims,” Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.) said in a statement. “9/11 was a tragedy our nation will never forget. I will continue to honor the memory of those who perished and work to support their families.”
A spokesperson for Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.) didn’t address Loomer specifically but criticized anyone spreading conspiracy theories about 9/11.
“Congressman D’Esposito resoundingly rejects any 9/11 conspiracy theories and recommits himself to the bipartisan fight to support survivors of the attack, especially those suffering from 9/11 related illnesses,” Matt Capp, D’Esposito’s spokesperson, said in a statement. “Congressman D’Esposito spent his career as an NYPD Detective and has made advocating for 9/11 first responders and survivors a hallmark of his time in Congress.”
“Anyone who believes that 9/11 was an inside job or part of some big conspiracy is a fringe character,” said Nate Soule, spokesperson for Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.). “Congressman Lawler firmly believes that nonsense like this does a tremendous disservice to the memory of the thousands of Americans who lost their lives that day and in the years since, their families, and our country.”
Requests for comment from New York Republican Reps. Nick LaLota, Andrew Garbarino, Nicole Malliotakis, Nick Langworthy, Claudia Tenney and Elise Stefanik, who chairs the House GOP Conference, were not returned.
HuffPost noticed at least one reason Stefanik may not want to criticize Loomer: She donated $500 to Stefanik’s campaign in 2019.
