A rift of 9/11 heroes: Giuliani, firefighters

On the presidential campaign trail, Rudolph W. Giuliani leans heavily on his image as a hero of Sept. 11, but the former New York City mayor has gotten a sharp rebuff from a disgruntled constituency that most non-New Yorkers probably think is in his corner: firefighters.

After Giuliani pulled out of a planned appearance at an International Assn. of Firefighters presidential forum next week, the group sent a stinging letter to its members Friday indicating that it almost didn’t invite him anyway.

The firefighters said there was continuing anger at Giuliani’s “despicable” role in pulling firefighters off the Twin Towers’ debris pile in 2001 before all hope of finding their dead comrades’ remains was exhausted.

“The disrespect that he exhibited to our 343 fallen FDNY brothers, their families, and our New York leadership in the wake of that tragic day has not been forgiven or forgotten,” said the three-page letter, drafted by union leaders in late February and first disclosed on Newsday’s website Thursday.

“Mayor Giuliani’s actions meant that firefighters and citizens who perished would either remain buried at Ground Zero forever, with no closure for families, or be removed like so much garbage and deposited at the Fresh Kills landfill,” the letter said. “Hundreds remained entombed in Ground Zero when Giuliani gave up on them.”

The union eventually decided to invite Giuliani because the forum is supposed to be open to all candidates. But, said union spokesman Jeff Zack, “to the extent firefighters know or learn about that story, the letter will absolutely represent the view of firefighters across this country.”

An aide to the ex-mayor said Giuliani pulled out of the forum because of a “scheduling conflict.” She refused to discuss the letter, but released a statement from Tim Brown, identified as a former New York firefighter and head of a group called Firefighters for Rudy, saying that “many first responders” back Giuliani.

The union backed Vice President Al Gore and Sen. John F. Kerry in the last two presidential elections, so loss of its backing isn’t a big deal for a Republican. But the dispute was a reminder that although many Americans may be unfamiliar with Giuliani’s stormy years as mayor, some episodes could hurt him politically.

His dispute with firefighters erupted in November 2001, when the remains of about 100 firefighters had been recovered. Giuliani, citing safety concerns, ordered cuts in the number of firefighters sorting wreckage so heavy machinery could clear debris more quickly. The order led to street clashes and arrests, as firefighters protested that the speed-up would lead to remains being dumped at a landfill. Giuliani relented.

The firefighters’ letter described Giuliani’s actions as “a visceral, personal affront to our fallen” and to the code that calls on firefighters to “leave no one behind.”

It said he was more committed to finding a stash of gold bars and cash lost in the rubble than firefighters’ bodies.

“There are few times I can say that I speak for the entire membership, but this is one time that I speak for at least 95%,” said one of the letter’s drafters, Capt. Peter Gorman, head of New York’s Uniformed Fire Officers Assn.

At least 10 candidates plan to attend Wednesday’s forum, including, on the Democratic side, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama and former Sen. John Edwards. The only top-tier GOP candidate who has committed is Sen. John McCain. Republican Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, declined an invitation.