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NYC Faces No “Real” Terror Threats After Capitol Riots, De Blasio Says, As Pols Demand Trump Resigns
By
Sophia Chang
Published Jan 9, 2021
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Bebeto Matthews/AP/Shutterstock
By
Sophia Chang
Published Jan 9, 2021
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New York City has not received any “real” threats of terrorism akin to the violent mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol this week, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Saturday as he stood with Democratic lawmakers calling for President Donald Trump’s immediate resignation.
“We're monitoring very very closely. No real and specific threats directed to New York City at this moment,” de Blasio said at a gathering of some of New York’s congressional representatives outside City Hall Saturday. “There are some small demonstrations planned for tomorrow that we are carefully monitoring. If we see anything larger going on we're certainly going to give a public update on that but right now, no threats to speak of.”
De Blasio and the congressional representatives at the press conference called for immediate action after Wednesday’s violent raid on the Capitol, which followed Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally spreading misinformation about election fraud and left five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer from New Jersey who was injured by the mob. The rioters descended on the Capitol, easily breaching police lines and breaking down windows and doors to enter while Congress was certifying the 2020 elections results that sealed President-elect Joe Biden's victory.
The attack on the Capitol was instigated by the president himself, said Brooklyn Rep. Hakeem Jeffries at the press conference, as he stood with Representatives Carolyn Maloney, Nydia Velázquez, Adriano Espaillat, Gregory Meeks, and newly sworn member Jamaal Bowman at City Hall.
“It was an act of sedition that was incited and encouraged by Donald Trump. And that's why he must be held accountable to the full extent of the law,” Jeffries said.
Maloney said in her role as the chair of the Oversight Committee, she’s holding an emergency meeting with the FBI Monday to determine what happened to allow what she called the “attempted coup.” She too called for Trump's resignation, or his Cabinet and Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove him from office, or to impeach.
“He is incapable of leading. He cannot be trusted,” Maloney said of Trump. “If they do not act, then this Congress will go back next week, and we will move forward with the second impeachment of Donald J. Trump.”
Elsewhere in the city, the Bay Ridge Democrats and La Colmena, a Staten Island immigrant workers advocacy group, both held events to demand that GOP Rep. Nicole Malliatokis of Brooklyn and Staten Island resign for supporting Trump and backing baseless claims of election fraud. “She has turned her back not just on her constituents but also on her oath to uphold the Constitution by voting to overturn a free election in Arizona and around the country. This kind of representation is not what this district nor this country deserves," said La Colmena’s executive director Yesenia Mata in a press release.
Along with three other GOP representatives from Long Island and upstate New York, Malliatokis voted Wednesday to reject Pennsylvania’s election results and to object to Arizona’s election results.
Malliotakis did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.
Tagged
capitol
domestic terrorism
election 2020
Sophia Chang
Sophia Chang is a former WNYC and Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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