NEW YORK, NEW YORK — This morning, Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis attended the 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York City to honor the 2,977 innocent lives that were taken in the attacks on the Twin Towers 22 years ago.
The governor and first lady were invited to attend by the families of 9/11 victims and met with several of them, who spoke about their lost loved ones.
“Today, Casey and I had the honor of joining with families who still bear the scars of the 9/11 terror attacks to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of that dark day,” DeSantis said in a statement.
“We heard their heart-wrenching stories, the cherished memories of those they lost, and their strong commitment to never forgetting what happened on this hallowed ground twenty-two years ago. September 11, 2001 changed those families and our nation forever.”
BROKEN PROMISES
“And now decades later, we as a nation still owe full transparency and accountability to these grieving families,” DeSantis said. “Yet too many politicians have broken past promises to them, and that is wholly unacceptable.”
The governor went on to say that any plea deal for alleged mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-conspirators to avoid the harshest penalties would be “unconscionable given the loss inflicted by their terrorist acts.”
“While the Biden Administration has allegedly rejected a considered plea deal over the near-term, pressure must remain so that any way forward includes public answers and maximum lawful punishment,” DeSantis said, noting that avoiding a public trial denies victims the justice they deserve and allows others to evade scrutiny.
A CALL TO DECLASSIFY DOCUMENTS
DeSantis is calling on President Biden to publicly commit to declassifying the remaining Intelligence Community documents regarding the planning and financing of 9/11, consistent with protecting national security.
“As President, I will demand from each agency that they provide a detailed justification for every remaining redaction, and decide, in the interests of transparency, whether the public interest outweighs any potential harm in disclosure before making declassification and public release decisions,” DeSantis said.
“The pain of 9/11 endures for these families and all of us who remember that day, and its history must be taught for generations to come,” DeSantis said. “Our work is not done until we have fully brought to light all the details surrounding the attacks, and those responsible are held accountable. I will not rest until both are fully achieved. We Must Never Forget.”
According to DeSantis’ press secretary Jeremy Redfern, the governor declined to sit in the VIP section and instead opted to stand with the families and walk around the North and South Pools to view the etched names of the loved ones who were killed that day.
Before departing the memorial, DeSantis also visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum.
According to a Chapman University survey from 2016, more than half of all Americans believe the government is concealing information about the 9/11 attacks.
