A dormant plea deal between the federal government and terrorists who masterminded the attacks on 9/11 was exposed on Wednesday by a widow who accused the Biden-Harris administration of attempting to brush a conviction under the rug.
Joanne Barbara, who lost her husband Gerard Barbara, an assistant chief in the New York Fire Department, in the attacks that day, veered off script to sharply criticize President Joe Biden for readying a plea deal that would have spared Khalid Sheikh Mohammed the death penalty in exchange for his pleading guilty to orchestrating the attacks. “My husband of 30 years was one of” the victims, Barbara said at the microphone on Wednesday. “It is outrageous that our government would ever entertain the thought of granting the terrorists a plea deal. If not for the outcry of the 9/11 community, who knows what might have transpired.”
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Going on, she added, “It has been 23 years since then, and the families deserve justice and accountability.” The crowd voiced its approval, clapping and cheering as she paused. “The elected officials show their respect and reverence to the families of September 11th or in our president’s words, ‘do 9/11’ – quite a flippant remark. But please remember the September 11th families live it every day.”
WATCH:
For a brief moment, the camera cut away to former President Donald Trump who could be seen politely clapping in response to Barbara’s attack on his former rival. Others in the crowd made known their hope to see Trump return to the White House; during a moment of silence at the ceremony’s opening stages, President Trump was forced to wave and smile as throngs of supporters in the nearby crowd shouted words of encouragement. Trump, a native New Yorker, has credited the city with affording him the opportunities to raise his name, fame, and fortune before entering public service. Last year he permanently changed residencies to Florida, citing far-left progressive policies that contributed to rising taxes and crime in the Big Apple.
Biden, who remains deeply unpopular, botched a simple question about his plans to honor the victims of 9/11. “I’m going up to my granddaughter’s birthday in New York,” he said on the White House lawn. “Then we’re going to watch the debate tomorrow. I’m doing 9/11.” The Republican National Committee’s X account posted a clip of the interaction, writing “YIKES.”
The failed plea deal with KSM was killed earlier this summer by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and now goes before a federal judge to determine if his action was appropriate. Authorities involved in the hunt to bring KSM to justice believe a history of torture during his interrogation would make impossible any attempt to try him in open court.
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