| LEAA Lambastes NAPO for Bad
Judgment in Supporting Senator Clinton
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 2002 - U.S.
Newswire
The Law Enforcement Alliance of America (LEAA)
stands outraged and baffled after learning of the National Association
of Police Organizations' (NAPO) decision to support Senator Hillary
Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) at a press conference for legislation known as
the "Homeland Security Block Grant Act."
"This is truly unbelievable," says
James J. Fotis, LEAA Executive Director and retired Lynbrook, NY police
officer.
"Senator Clinton is no friend of law
enforcement and has demonstrated that on more than one occasion. This is
a slap in the face to law enforcement officers everywhere and NAPO is
doing an injustice to the law enforcement fraternity," Fotis
stated.
LEAA Executive Director Jim Fotis cited several
examples of the Senator's hideous behavior toward law enforcement just
in the last few years. "Hillary Rodham Clinton is perhaps the most
anti-cop member of the U.S. Senate. From blaming the Secret Service for
the White House Filegate scandal to supporting the pardoning of cop
killers, there's no low Hillary won't stoop to when it comes to bashing
cops for political gain," Fotis said.
Some of Senator Clinton's more outrageous
attacks on law enforcement involve her calling four New York City police
officers murderers after a shooting in 1999. As a lawyer, first lady,
and a New York senatorial candidate, Clinton was implying that these
officers were guilty until proven innocent. The trial had not even begun
when she made the remark during one of her public appearances on the
campaign trail.
"As a trial lawyer she knows that
Americans are innocent until proven guilty yet when it comes to these
four cops she turned her back on the law and these officers," says
Fotis. "She has a complete disregard and a basic dislike for
cops," Fotis stated. The four cops were later found not guilty.
Another example of Senator Clinton's anti-law
enforcement behavior stems from an incident that occurred at the New
York State Democratic Convention during her senatorial campaign.
LEAA called upon candidate Hillary Clinton to denounce
the actions of Democratic state delegates who spit on
members of the Albany Police Department Honor Guard as they
carried flags into the arena for a ceremony.
"That incident is a violation of New
York State Penal Law and if political leaders allow behavior of that
kind against police officers, they are encouraging disrespect for law
enforcement," says Fotis.
"Candidate Clinton never offered
apologies or stood up for those officers," Fotis continued,
"and NAPO decides to stand up at a press conference to support her?
What is their leadership thinking?" LEAA finds NAPO's actions
outrageous and inexcusable.
"NAPO should know better when it
comes to supporting politicians who make a living bashing cops.
Certainly NAPO's New York rank-and-file police membership knows better,
as evidenced when they joined firefighters in booing Hillary Clinton off
the stage at a New York benefit concert," Fotis concluded.
To schedule an interview with Fotis,
please call 703-847-2677.
With over 65,000 members and supporters nation-wide, the Law Enforcement
Alliance of America (LEAA) is the nation's largest coalition of law
enforcement professionals, crime victims, and concerned citizens
dedicated to making America safer. Visit our Web site at www.LEAA.org.
Contact: Laura Griffith of the Law
Enforcement Alliance of
America, 703-847-2677 or 703-201-5622 (after hours). |
