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Rudy Faulted on Safety at Ground Zero

Autocratic mayor sacrificed health for speed, suit charges

By Colleen Barry,  Newser Staff

Posted May 14, 2007 3:07 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Rudy Giuliani's leadership in the aftermath of 9/11 made him America's hero, and the GOP's top presidential candidate. But thousands of the firefighters and construction workers who cleaned up Ground Zero now claim that the mayor's single-minded drive to see the city rebound from the attacks is to blame for respiratory illnesses they've suffered.

Giuliani, who sidelined experienced federal agencies in running the clean-up, is accused of sacrificing safety for speed, the Times reports in a lengthy examination of a lawsuit filed against the city. "The city ran a generally slipshod, haphazard, uncoordinated, unfocused response to environmental concerns," says one expert. Because of the lawsuit, members of the Giuliani team do not comment.

Ground Zero cleanup
Ground Zero cleanup   (Getty Images)
Work Progresses At Ground Zero
Work Progresses At Ground Zero   (Getty Images)
Cleanup Work Continues At Ground Zero
Cleanup Work Continues At Ground Zero   (Getty Images)
Ground Zero Work Continues
Ground Zero Work Continues   (Getty Images)
Then New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, center, leads Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., second from left, New York Gov. George Pataki, second from right, and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., far right, on a tour of the site of the World Trade Center terrorist attack in this Sept....
Then New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, center, leads Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., second from left, New York Gov. George Pataki, second from right, and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., far right,...   (Associated Press)
Firefighters carry an injured fireman from the World Trade Center area in New York after the buildings collapsed after two planes crashed into the structure in the Sept. 11, 2001 file photo. While former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was lionized for his post-9/11 leadership - city firefighters and...
Firefighters carry an injured fireman from the World Trade Center area in New York after the buildings collapsed after two planes crashed into the structure in the Sept. 11, 2001 file photo. While former...   (Associated Press)
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Congress • Rudy Giuliani • New York City • Ground Zero • September 11 • safety • lawsuit

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