New York, NY – Claire Hardwick, OAN Political Correspondent
While Oscar Lopez Rivera has decided to not accept the national
freedom hero award, Nicole Malliotakis said this terrorist has shown
more integrity than the New York City Mayor.
In the final days of his presidency, President Obama suspended the
sentence of Oscar Lopez Rivera, the one time leader of the F.A.L.N. and a
convicted terrorist.
The Puerto Rican Day Parade Committee chose to honor him with the
National Freedom Hero Award, causing politicians, first responders, law
enforcement, and sponsors to drop out of the parade
Nicole Malliotakis, a NYS Assemblywoman and GOP candidate for NYC
Mayor, said this decision put the Puerto Rican People in a very tough
position.
“I believe the majority of people from Puerto Rico believe that Oscar
Lopez Rivera doesn’t represent them, and they are also very upset this
is taking away from what is supposed to be a celebration about a
beautiful island, its culture, its beautiful people, music food, all of
the things Puerto Rico has contributed and the individuals we have
celebrated,” Malliotakis said.
But despite all of this, Malliotakis said Mayor de Blasio still chose to march with him and give him this award.
And it was Rivera, a convicted terrorist, who had to decide to do the right thing for the Puerto Rican people.
“I think it is completely outrageous and shows how far city
government has gone astray when we have both the speaker of the city
council as well as the mayor who have spoken and said it is okay for an
individual who was the leader of an organization that claimed
responsibility for over 100 attacks in our nation, most of which
occurred right here in nyc, to be the honoree is a sad situation,”
Malliotakis said.
Malliotakis said the people of New York have not forgotten the
F.A.L.N terrorist attacks, and they will will not forget de Blasio’s
total lack of leadership on this decision.