Bloomberg To Obama: Promise You'll Pay For 9/11 Trial Security

NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he is skeptical that the federal government would cover the cost of trying Sept. 11 suspects in Manhattan, a day after President Barack Obama said he had not ruled out holding the trial in New York.

Bloomberg said Monday that he wants the Obama administration to guarantee it will help pay for the added security and other infrastructure the city would have to provide for the trial of professed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four alleged accomplices.

The mayor said he is skeptical "because a lot of times the federal government promises to pay and then the monies don't come."

"So, I'd like some assurance because the taxpayers in New York City are certainly strapped," he said.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment.

City officials have estimated the cost of holding the trial in a lower Manhattan courthouse at $200 million a year but have not provided details about the expenses that add up to that figure.

Bloomberg recently declared he did not want the trial in New York City, after initially supporting the idea last year. He now says it would be expensive and too disruptive to workers and residents of lower Manhattan.

The president said Sunday he has not eliminated the possibility of holding the trial in New York City, despite the opposition from Bloomberg and others.

"I have not ruled it out, but I think it's important for us to take into account the practical, logistical issues involved," Obama told CBS News. "I mean, if you have a city that is saying no, and a police department that is saying no, and a mayor that is saying no; that makes it difficult."

Comments

[Eris23]

11:35 AM on 02/09/2010

This is simply the Billionaire Mayor playing politics for pork.

[Darcman]

08:20 AM on 02/09/2010

Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Kelly are reasonable people who didn't have a problem with holding these trials in New York until the GOP politized this situation! After 9/11 the federal government poured hundreds of millions of dollars into New York to train first responders, buy modern equipment and fortify this city (I live in New York) against another attack! If after all of that we can't provide adequate security for the trails of the people who carried out that attack we have larger problems in this country! New York is the best place for these trials! I also feel I have to remind people that there were two terror trials going on in New York when AG Holder and last week a guilty verdict was announced for one of them! I doubt anyone in lower Manhattan even realized what was going on!

[William Young]

03:04 AM on 02/09/2010

Why are they so scared to try these terrorists on our SOIL?

[Beowoof]

02:52 AM on 02/09/2010

OK mayor, we'll just find someone else who can handle it.

[Valyard]

01:33 AM on 02/09/2010

This make me sick. After thousands of people died at this guys hands it all boils down to money. Who's that Sheriff down south in LA. He can get it done cheap and get KSM to pick up some roadside trash.

[Bettysdad]

01:30 AM on 02/09/2010

It'll cost less than Bloomberg spent on his last campaign.

He has it in his wallet, and should spend it on the city he so deeply loves and cares about.

[Fred303]

12:55 AM on 02/09/2010

the police departments loving milking it , with the overtime.

[cantu]

12:11 AM on 02/09/2010

Oh so it all about the money now... go to h*ll Bloomberg

[South Side Cyrus]

12:01 AM on 02/09/2010

Maybe Bloomberg could get in touch with Paul Bremer, and see if he's had any luck locating the missing nine billion in cash that mysteriously disappeared in Baghdad.

There would be plenty there for future trials.

Did you hear any politicians complaining about costs then.

[najablah]

11:42 PM on 02/08/2010

Bloomberg has a point... the shields for Muslim heat vision are not cheap.

[freethk]

10:59 PM on 02/08/2010

Republicans have totally politicised this issue. Since 2001, 289 people accused of terrorism-related crimes associated with al Qaeda or other Islamist extremist groups have been successfully tried in US courts. Now that Obama is in office, Giuliani and other despicable fear mongers have decided that our courts can't handle it. These trials can be expensive and disruptive, but, that's the price of justice. What about these high profile celebrity trials? The OJ Simpson trial was a media circus and incredibly expensive for LA. Nobody said that they shouldn't hold it there.

[leonyc]

10:29 PM on 02/08/2010

It was a dumb idea from the start. KSM was picked up during the war on the enemy territory. Why is he being brought to the civilian court? He was not arrested on the streets in the US. We know it won't happen in NYC for sure, because virtually everyone is opposed to do. It was a stupid move for Holder and Obama both politically and strategically. And it would do a lot of harm to many Downtown business that already suffer because of the recession.

[Valyard]

01:21 AM on 02/09/2010

Like the previous WTC bombers he should be tried in the USA because that is where the crime was commited. I suppose you want Roman Polanski tried in France too?

[poaster]

10:17 PM on 02/08/2010

Obama to Bloomberg, "I'm a little short, something you can relate to"

[jerrypl]

09:57 PM on 02/08/2010

Bloomberg was just showboating as he gets fiscal exposure prior to his 2012 run for president. He should have asked Obama to show him the numbers regarding this budget!

http://eye-on-washington.blogspot.com

[livingfree]

09:53 PM on 02/08/2010

This is a joke. All the money and training that New York has gotten since 911, where is the money and where are the trained people and equipment? New York should be the most established city in the US with security from the Homeland Security. Unless the money was spent somewhere else otherwise, New York is ready.

[Chicagofan1]

11:08 PM on 02/08/2010

Unless you live in NYC and have business somewhere around DT, please spare us.

[Valyard]

01:23 AM on 02/09/2010

I do so please spare me your comments.