Zohran Mamdani Releases 170,000 Pages of 9/11 Records, Alleges Officials Misled New Yorkers Over Toxic Air
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has released more than 170,000 pages of internal records that show officials misled people after the September 11, 2001 attacks. The newly disclosed files suggest New York officials knew about the state of the air quality around Ground Zero following the 9/11 attacks and deliberately misled the public about it.
“People got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air,” Mamdani said during a press conference, according to CNN.
The disclosure comes as the US prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the al Qaeda hijackings of passenger planes and the attack on the World Trade Centre, which killed roughly 3,000 people.
According to 9/11 memorials, at least 140,000 people from all 50 states have enrolled in the World Trade Centre Health Program, and 49,000 have been diagnosed with certified WTC-related cancers.
What the Documents Reveal
The documents include a portion of the air quality reports taken at Ground Zero, along with internal memos. According to the New York Times, which reviewed the documents before their release by the Mamdani administration, asbestos and other contaminants were found at above-acceptable levels in dust and air in parts of Lower Manhattan, based on measurements taken by city agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency, and privately contracted laboratories.
The documents also include records compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency listing locations where asbestos and other contaminants exceeded hazardous levels findings consistent with separate EPA reports showing spiking carcinogen and benzene levels in the air around the towers’ footprints. The files further contain first-person accounts describing missteps by officials during the contaminant removal process.
Documents Recovered from 68 Boxes
The records were recovered last year from government offices, where they had been stashed in 68 boxes.
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“There was poison in the air, and on the ground, and in the window sills, and in your air conditioners and covering your pets and your clothes, and it stayed there for months. Everyone knew. Now it’s very clear that the city knew as well,” said comedian Jon Stewart, who appeared alongside Mamdani. Stewart has long advocated for greater transparency and resources for first responders and survivors.
Mamdani on the Delay: “Multiple Mayoral Administrations” Withheld Documents
When asked why the documents took years to release, and whether there had been a cover-up, Mamdani said, “This was multiple mayoral administrations refusing to release documents that New Yorkers were owed.”