May 23, 2007
YouTube Wars: Rudy Allies Strike Back Against Hauer
Jerry Hauer, the former director of the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management, in NYC, has been a vocal critic of ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani as of late. For example, Mr. Hauer, speaking to the New York Times recently, said it was "not" true that he recommended building an emergency bunker near the World Trade Center site before 2001.
One of Mr. Hauer’s first tasks was to find a home for an emergency command center to replace the inadequate facilities at police headquarters. Mr. Hauer suggested an office complex in downtown Brooklyn as a “good alternative” in a memorandum.But Mr. Hauer said the mayor insisted instead on a site within walking distance of City Hall. Given that concern and others, Mr. Hauer said he decided that offices on the 23rd floor of 7 World Trade Center, next to the twin towers and just a few blocks from City Hall, seemed the best choice.
The site was immediately controversial because it was part of the trade center, which had already been the location of a truck bomb attack in 1993. City officials, though, including Mr. Hauer, have long defended their decision, even after the command center had to be evacuated during the 2001 terror attack.
Last week, in an interview with Fox News, Mr. Giuliani again faced questions about the site. He put responsibility for selecting it on Mr. Hauer.
“Jerry Hauer recommended that as the prime site and the site that would make the most sense,” Mr. Giuliani said. “It was largely on his recommendation that that site was selected.”
Mr. Hauer took immediate exception to that account in interviews. “That’s Rudy’s own reality that he lives in,” he said. “It is not, in fact, the truth.”
Now, courtesy of a Giuliani supporter, hear Hauer tell WCBS’ Andrew Kirtzman on 5/9/04 that he "absolutely" favored constructing the OEM site at the World Trade Center site.
Kirtzman: “Did you personally favor putting OEM (Office of Emergency Management) where it was situated?
Hauer: “Absolutely.”
And when later pressed about the possible Brooklyn location for OEM, Hauer replied “Hindsight is 20/20, Andrew.”
Posted at 03:00 PM
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