Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis visited Ground Zero in New York City on Monday, speaking with multiple families who lost loved ones during the Islamic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
In a statement released after the trip, the Florida governor said that it was an honor to join the families on the 22nd anniversary of the attack.
“And now decades later, we as a nation still owe full transparency and accountability to these grieving families,” he said. “Yet too many politicians have broken past promises to them, and that is wholly unacceptable.”
DeSantis said that “any plea deal” that federal prosecutors might be considering that would allow the terrorists “to avoid the harshest penalties and transparency is 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,” he said. “Avoiding a public trial denies victims the justice they deserve and allows others to evade scrutiny. I urge the administration to serve justice and send an unequivocal message that such attacks on American lives will never go unanswered.”
DeSantis also called on President Joe Biden to “publicly commit to declassifying the remaining Intelligence Community documents regarding the planning and financing of 9/11, consistent with protecting national security.”
He noted that while some material has been declassified in recent years, much has yet to be released and that if Biden does not do it then he will start the process if he becomes the next president.
“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,” he said. “I will end the federal government’s decades-long abuse of the classification system and will strive to be the most transparent administration in U.S. history.”
DeSantis also threw his support behind the Ensuring Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act which closes loopholes that prevent victims’ families from holding foreign sponsors of terrorism accountable.
As governor, DeSantis signed a bill into law that designates September 11 as a “9/11 Heroes’ Day” and requires that public schools teach a through account of what happened that day and how the attack impacted the country.
“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,” he 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.”
This morning, I joined families whose loved ones were murdered by terrorists on 9/11.
Together, we remembered.
May the sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, wives, and husbands who lost their lives on 9/11 live forever in our memories. pic.twitter.com/WDxcslQ9ys
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 12, 2023
