Mayor Rudy Giuliani Questions

Statement and Questions Regarding the 9/11 Commission Interview
of Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Members of his Administration

revised May 11, 2004

The Family Steering Committee is pleased that former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and members of his Administration will be giving sworn testimony before an audience of Families of 9/11 Victims and the American public.

Since the Commission is responsible for fulfilling the Congressional mandate to investigate all facts relating to 9/11, the following questions for the Giuliani Administration and the Port Authority of NY & NJ must be addressed at the May 18th –19th hearings in order to facilitate informed decisions and recommendations.

  1. A few short weeks after 9/11, tons of metal from the collapsed twin towers was sold to scrap yards in New Jersey. Thereafter, the steel was re-sold to other recyclers in the United States and overseas. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the “scrap” has ended up in India, Japan, South Korea, China and Malaysia.

It is the FSC’s position that the thousands of pounds of debris was crime-scene evidence. It should have been examined, catalogued, and stored in a secure location.

Why were the steel beams sold and shipped overseas and not retained as evidence? Was the material examined before it was sent overseas? If examined, then by whom? Were any diagnostic studies/tests performed? If not, then why? Whose responsibility was this?

Former FBI Acting Director Thomas Pickard said that the FBI wanted to take over Ground Zero and make it a crime scene as was done at the Pentagon. If that had occurred all materials from the scene would have been protected until an investigation was complete. Pickard also stated that you, Mayor Giuliani, would not allow the FBI access to the pit area. Is this accurate? If so, then what was your reason for keeping the nation’s chief investigatory team—the FBI, out of Ground Zero?

  1. On 9/11, rooftop doors to both of the World Trade Center towers were locked. Thus, rooftop rescue by helicopter was impossible. Who made the decision to lock the rooftop doors? When was this decision made? Why was this decision made? Whose responsibility was it to communicate to the building leaseholders and occupants that rooftop doors would be locked in the event of a catastrophe and/or emergency? Did locking the rooftop doors violate New York City or New York State building codes?
  2. Firefighters lost their lives on 9/11 due to faulty equipment, such as radios. These were the same radios that failed in 1993. Who was in charge of buying and testing equipment for the firefighters? During your administration were there any requests by either the NYPD or FDNY to increase budget appropriations for emergency apparatus such as radios?
  3. Many high level officials were warned not to fly commercially, prior to 9/11. Were you warned not to fly?
  4. As Mayor of New York City, did you interface with either the FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) or the FBI’s Bin Laden Unit from January 2001 to September 11, 2001? If so, what was the extent of your communications with them? What actions, if any, were taken on behalf of your administration at the request of the JTTF or the Bin Laden Unit?
  5. What precautions were put in place after the 1993 WTC bombing to protect the citizens of New York City and the occupants of the WTC in the likely event of another attack?
  6. After the 1993 bombing of the WTC, what, if any, measures were taken to ensure that in the next emergency, the evacuation of the WTC occupants would be swifter, more methodical, and more decisive?
  7. What “Memorandums of Understanding,”(MOUs) if any, were in effect between the PA of NY&NJ, the City of New York, the FDNY and any other emergency agency that would address the need to respond to an emergency at the WTC? What legal implications, if any, did these MOU’s have? If they had no legally binding effect, then for what purpose did such agreements exist?
  8. What, if any, emergency plan did the City of New York have in place prior to and/or on 9/11, considering that NYC was a “prime” terrorist target?
  9. Why did you ask to have your records as Mayor of New York City sealed for 25 years?
  10. Was there ever a recommendation to improve the venting of the emergency stairwells in the WTC after the 1993 bombing and if so, was it ever done?
  11. Mr. Giuliani, several members of the Family Steering Committee attended a meeting with you in 2002 at which time you told us that you were against, and would not support, the formation of an independent commission to examine the events of 9/11.

Why did you oppose the creation of this commission? Given the revelations that have emerged during commission hearings, do you still regard their work as unimportant and unnecessary? Do you now believe it is beneficial to have the public well informed about the actions of the government, its agencies and its public officials?

  1. On 9/11, no aircraft hit WTC 7. Why did the building fall at 5:20 PM that evening? Larry Silverstein is heard on a PBS tape saying “I remember getting a call from the, E.R., fire department commander, telling me that they were not sure they were gonna be able to contain the fire, and I said, “We’ve had such terrible loss of life, maybe the smartest thing to do is pull it.” And they made that decision to pull and we watched the [WTC 7] building collapse,” said Larry Silverstein, WTC Leaseholder. – PBS (9/10/02) Does “pull” mean demolished? What do you know about this?
  2. Regarding the air quality of Ground Zero during and after the 9/11 attacks, did the City of New York at any time carryout screenings or tests independent of the EPA? If so, what were the results of those tests? Immediately after 9/11 did you, Mayor Giuliani, have any conversations with Christine Whitman about the air quality at Ground Zero and lower Manhattan? Where are all records of these conversations? What was the substance of these conversations? What actions were taken or not taken as a result of Ms. Whitman’s opinions or recommendations? Were you in agreement with Ms. Whitman’s official position to not deem Ground Zero a superfund site? If so, what was the basis of your reason?
  3. On the morning of 9/11 Battalion Chief Pfeiffer stated over an open emergency radio that Flight 11 hitting WTC 1 was, “not an accident”. At exactly what time did you consider the City of NY under attack? Was it before or after the second plane had hit WTC 2?
  4. During the summer of 2001 what contact did you have with the FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force and FBI Headquarters? Former FBI Acting Director Thomas Pickard has said that the FBI shared all information concerning possible terrorist threats with NYC officials. What precautions and protocols did you enact as a result of JTTF information? What precautions and protocols did you enact as a result of the credible threat posed by al-Qaeda during the week of sentencing at the Embassy bombing trial at the Federal Courthouse in downtown New York City?
  5. Please detail all contact you had during the summer of 2001 with FEMA. What actions were carried out at the direction of FEMA? Specifically, what was the content of your conversations with Mr. Joe Allbaugh?
  6. Please explain the presence of the FBI at the WTC during the two weeks prior to 9/11. Were you informed of their increased surveillance? How was the City of New York included in such increased surveillance? What actions were carried out by the NYPD to facilitate the FBI’s increased surveillance?
  7. Mr. Giuliani, immediately following the attacks an after action report was ordered for the Pentagon. Was a similar report ordered for New York City? If not, why not?