FDNY union head weighs in after staff cheered for Trump, booed NY AG Letitia James
Some firefighters interrupted AG Letitia James by shouting, "Trump! Trump! Trump!"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The union leader who represents employees of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) spoke with Fox News on Monday about a recent booing incident involving its firefighters.
Last Thursday, New York Attorney General Letitia James was heckled during an FDNY ceremony at the Christian Cultural Center's Brooklyn location in East New York.
When James walked towards the podium, some audience members began shouting, "Trump! Trump! Trump!"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The booing incident happened following the AG's prosecution of the former president.
FDNY ‘LOOKING INTO’ STAFF WHO BOOED NY AG LETITIA JAMES, CHEERED FOR TRUMP AT CEREMONY
James spoke at the promotion ceremony, which saw 65 uniformed members from Fire Operations, EMS Operations and Bureau of Fire Investigation, along with 29 members of the Bureau of Fire Prevention and 34 civilian employees sworn in to their new roles. (FDNY)
Andrew Ansbro, who serves as President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York, told Fox News that, to his knowledge, no FDNY members have turned themselves in.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The labor union head also disclosed that no one has been charged with a violation yet. It is unclear what exact violation the firefighters could be accused of, or how they could be reprimanded. The FDNY has a catch-all clause about "unbecoming conduct" that may be used in this situation.
"Before they find anyone liable, they are going to have to hold themselves accountable for failure to supervise," Ansbro warned.
He also said that firefighter ceremonies have had a "carnival-like" atmosphere in the past.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Maybe they shouldn’t host it at a church," he added.
The FDNY has been investigating to determine who participated in the booing.
"Oh, c’mon, we’re in a house of God. Simmer down," James said at the podium after she was met with boos. "Thank you for getting it out of your system."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New York Attorney General Letitia James told the crowd to "simmer down." (FDNY)
Ansbro also noted that event organizers could have told firefighters to "lock it up," – which is a term used to tell firefighters to stop.
"At any moment they could have shouted, ‘Lock it up,’ – before, during or after," he continued. "It only seems like hours later they felt they needed to act."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FDNY Spokesman Jim Long previously told Fox News Digital that his department isn't "hunting anyone down" over the incident.
"We’re looking into those who clearly broke department regulations," Long explained on Sunday. "It has nothing to do with politics. It’s about professionalism at an official event held in a house of worship."
James filed a lawsuit against Trump last year, accusing him of inflating his real estate assets and thereby committing fraud. In February, the judge ruled in James' favor and ordered Trump to pay a $350 million fine.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The scale and the scope of Donald Trump’s fraud is staggering and so too is his ego," James said last month. "And his belief that the rules do not apply to him. Today, we are holding Donald Trump accountable."
Fox News Digital reached out to the FDNY about Ansbro's latest comments.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Digital's Stephen Sorace and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.