I don't know if this is odd, but I always get a feel of deep regard whenever I see a FDNY firetruck roll by on the streets and avenues of the city with their sirens blazing. Many people cover their ears from the noise, but I just watch and smile. Their courage and bravery is incredible, as is many a firefighter across the country and the world. They risk their lives day in and day out and on September 11th, hundreds did not make it out alive.
That is one of the reasons that Rudy Giuliani angers me so. He capitalizes on their bravery to make money and now run for President. Many firefighters see this and have thus taken action to prevent Rudy from winning any type of elected office here on out. The 9/11 Parents & Families of Firefighters are organizing as we speak to run television ads in key states to let other Americans know the Rudy we have come to despise here in New York. However, there are a few in the FDNY that are with Rudy. The question is, are they speaking from the heart, or the wallet?
From The Huffington Post:
John R. Orlando, who serves with Engine 216 in Brooklyn, New York, has been cited prominently as a Giuliani supporter. Last June, in a New York Times article detailing the mixed reviews Giuliani has among the city's 11,000-membered firefighting force, Orlando said he regularly saw Giuliani at fires despite suggestions otherwise.
Orlando was also quoted as saying the "bottom line is, I think he's been more of a friend to firefighters than I've seen in the news. I don't think all the criticism is warranted."
Did those comments come with a reward? Three months after he praised Giuliani, Orlando found himself on the former mayor's payroll. On September 28, 2007, the Giuliani campaign paid one John R. Orlando more than $1,580 for what they deemed on a campaign filing as "political strategy consulting."
When asked about the arrangement -- after repeated attempts for comment -- Giuliani spokesperson Matt McKeon questioned the question.
"Are you suggesting that firefighters aren't capable of political strategy?"
Pressed to describe what strategy, exactly, Orlando provided, McKeon replied: "I'll get back to you."
He never did.
Orlando never got back to the press either. What do these two Giuliani men have to hide? Is Orlando disrespecting his comrades by supporting Rudy? If he is so solid in his positive view of the ex-Mayor, why not say it for free? If the answers to these questions reflected well on Rudy then they'd answer them, but as you can tell, they didn't.
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