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Speaker 1 (00:02):
All right, Well we're gonna have a very special follow
up now because there is some good news for families
of nine to eleven victims, and to report on it
from you know, justice from the nine eleven families is
Brett Eagleson. Brett, welcome back to the show. And first
of all, incredible. We ran into each other on September
eleventh last year at O'Hara's as they were honoring you know,
(00:23):
the fallen that last year.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Yeah, that was pretty neat. I couldn't believe it. We
were walking out and I almost I almost bumped right
into you crossing the street. So very very serendipitous moment.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
And now we come about a year or so later,
a year so later and give some good news. So
tell us what this judgment means that yes, Saudi you
Abia could face culpability and lawsuits from the nine eleven families.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah right, I mean, this is an incredible development for
the families. This is what we've been waiting for. This
is what we've been spending so much time shouting about,
and our legal team and the former agents, the former
FBI agents, all those that have come forward. This is
everything that we've been building towards and working towards the
(01:12):
end of the day, all we want is our day
of justice and our day in court. And the Saudi
Kingdom has fought us tooth and nail. This is a
truly David versus Goliath story. Saudi Arabia has what seems
to be limitless amounts of resources and money. Their their
tentacles reached deep within every branch of our government that
(01:33):
they outfund us probably a million dollars to every one
of our dollars, and that is no exaggeration. So they
have fought tooth and nail to prevent this day from happening.
But at the end of the day, this is a win,
not just for the nine to eleven families, not just
for everyone in New York. But this is truly a
win for America and a win for justice because what
(01:56):
it does is a federal judge has said, we have
produced enough evidence that we can actually proceed and sue
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its role in the
nine to eleven attacks. Now, the judge stops short of
saying that, yeah, Saudi Arabia is guilty based on what
he has seen, because this decision wasn't about that. This
(02:18):
decision was about is there enough credible evidence to actually
warrant a trial and warrant this lawsuit. And the answer
is overwhelmingly yes there is.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
And you know, I was just thinking here you were
up in the podium on July second, talking about, hey,
you know, whoever gets elected needs to do more. And
it seems like now, if this administration is going to
keep dealing with Saudi Arabia, it is up to the
families to take action themselves.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yeah. I mean this is We've been taking action ourselves
for twenty years. It seems like I joined this fight
in twenty sixteen when we passed the law in Congress
called the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act. It's abbreviated
as just a JASTA And it's because of that law
that we passed. That's why we're even able to hold
(03:08):
a foreign sovereign accountable in US courts. But we did
that again against the lobbying of Saudi Arabia. We did
it with no help from our government. In fact, President
Obama at the time vetoed the bill. So we delivered
to Obama his one and only veto override of his
entire eight years as president. So that's sort of a
(03:29):
feather in our cap for us to do that, and
we did it with ninety seven senators, even senators from
his own party voting against him. So clearly the intent
of Congress was to allow the nine to eleven families
a day in court, and that's what this is all about.
We've had no help from the Trump administration. We had
a little bit of help from Biden in the sense
(03:49):
that he did give us an executive order which declassified
certain nine to eleven documents. However, when it comes to Trump,
I mean his record to sporting transparency and helping the
families has not been great. He invoked the State secrets
principle on us two times when when when we were
starting to really dig into some of the FBI nine
(04:12):
to eleven documents, his administration invoked what's known as the
State Secrets Principle, making it nearly imposter us to obtain
the documents that we needed. So, you know what, the
the families have been at it by ourselves all along.
But I do have to give a shout out to
there are certain members of Congress who have been by
(04:33):
our side in a very big bipartisan way. Senator Bloomenthal,
my senator from Connecticut, has been a super strong ally.
Senator Cornyn from Texas, Senator Grassley, all those names have
been by us our sides for a while, helping us.
And then you know some of the true He can't.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Forget Peter King, who was a big advocate forgetting forget.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
I would be remiss if I did not mention mister King,
who was a huge ally of ours. It's a shame
and it's unfortunate that he's no longer in Congress, but
he's sorely missed by our community because he was one
of our strongest allies. But also I would be remiss
if I didn't mention the former Intel officials who were
(05:21):
the ones investigating the Saudi rule in nine to eleven,
the former FBI agents, those who have come forward and said,
you know what, we didn't get it right. Saudi Arabia
really did do it, and they're the ones that are
coming forward and they've been helping these family members for
probably a decade now.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
All Right. You know, I've been done about federal judges
a bit this week because there's been other rulings that
I find maybe federal judges are not being activists here,
do you follow the rule of law in the sense of,
we got to make sure all these judges are not
doing activist rulings. And clearly this one's for America. It's
not an activist ruling. It's kind of refreshing when you
think about it, dealing on what we've seen around other
(06:01):
federal judges this year.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Yeah, I don't see how this could be portrayed in
any way as activist. You know, the will of.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Common activist, which is a breath of fresh air, you know.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
No, no, no, yeah, yeah no, And and I am
agreeing with you, Yeah, yeah. There is no part of
this that is activist whatsoever. So it's nice, it's nice
that this is you know, by the way, this is
an apolitical story. I'm shocked that there isn't more coverage
of this that you know, Fox News, for example, isn't
running with this and picking this up. You know, it
(06:34):
just seems like this is such a feel good story.
There's really not a political edge to it. This is
this is truly an American story. And you know, the
twenty fourth anniversary of nine to eleven is less than
ten days away, and and you know what a gift
from from the judge or from what whoever you want
to call it. But you know, this ruling comes within
(06:55):
two weeks of nine to eleven. Is just is just
such a such a great shot in the arm.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
We need more judges who get it, That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, more judge, Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Alutely.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Let me ask you this, because it is about to
be nine to eleven a week in a few days
from now, could we see just nine to eleven Justice
roll out the first lawsuit to commemorate and like sort
of say yes, twenty four years later we can get
justice for our families.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Yeah, I mean, well, I'm not sure what you mean
by that question.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Would you guys actually file us lawsuit in honor of
the victims around nine to eleven? It's saying yes, twenty
four years later, we are getting closure now.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
So we actually did file that lawsuit. That's what this
entire argument was about. We filed the lawsuit in twenty seventeen.
The Kingdom initially tried to have us dismissed in twenty seventeen.
At that point, they failed and the judge allowed us
limited discovery. So for the past seven years we've had
discovery on the Southern California cell about Hata. We've had
(08:01):
to fight our government tooth and nail for basically a
bunch of nothing worth of documents for the purposes of
our discovery. Then fast forward to about two years ago,
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia tried again for the second
time to have our case dismissed. That is what this
(08:22):
ruling is on. So so he was ruling on that
second attempt to have our lawsuit dismissed. They again have
been denied. So now the lawsuit moves forward to the
next phase, which is full blown discovery, and we're talking
about a trial you know, sometime between now in the
twenty fifth year anniversary of nine to eleven, as long
as he expedites this, this this Saudi appeal. So we
(08:44):
expect the Saudi government is going to appeal this latest decision.
Hopefully it gets expedited in the interest of time. You know,
these families have been at it for a long time.
I hope it doesn't get dragged out, but it's gonna
run a parallel track with the twenty fifth anniversary of
nine to eleven.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Brett. I feel like these efforts never make you tired.
In fact, They energize you every step of the way,
don't they.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
They absolutely do. I mean, as I was saying before,
that this is a shot in the arm to all
of us and we desperately needed it because we were
waiting for the judge to make this ruling for thirteen
months and finally, two weeks before nine to eleven, this
ruling comes. And I got to tell you, I've spoken
to hundreds of nine to eleven family members and they've
(09:28):
all never been more determined to seek justice. And no
one's going away. This lawsuit isn't going away. People are
going to pursue it. Whether I do it or whether
I don't do it, people are still going to pursue it.
This community is hell bent on getting justice and getting accountability.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Absolutely. Okay. I know we talked a little because of
the around this time Live and PGA were emerging, and
I know you were disgusted by that, But could this
open up the door for other agreements is to be
finally against? Sorry Rabel, Like, is this is this landmark
what you're doing that other things could be challenged a
little more easier?
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Now? Yeah? I mean I think that the judge had
to be really, really careful in his decision, which is
why it took him thirteen months, because it sets a precedent.
Right now, under the law a jasta, you can sue
a foreign sovereign. So I think that if you have
enough evidence and enough credibility, and if there is suspicion
(10:27):
backed up by real evidence, I think that it opens
up the door for a lot of other grievances.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
When this first came down, were you around family members
and was there a lot of tears in that room?
Speaker 2 (10:40):
I was, actually I was actually stuck in traffic, believe
it or not, when the decision came, and I couldn't
wait to get out of traffic so I could hop
on my phone and read the decision. And then before
I even had a chance to read through the decision,
I must have had twenty text messages and another ten
phone calls, So I don't it took me about five
(11:01):
hours to get through the actual reading of the physical
decision because of how elated the family members were, and
we were just celebrating, and we were all just reminiscing
on how long it's been to get to this point
and how at times it looked really tough, and we
didn't know that we would get there, but you know,
it was just a moment of pure relief and pure determination.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
I urge others to listen to our podcast from actually
July second, when you had that press conference. But I
want to refresh people's memories that they haven't listened back
that far yet. Who did you lose a nine to eleven?
Why did this? Who wasn't that fired up to get
justice for them? For your family?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
I lost my dad when I was fifteen years old.
I was a sophomore in high school in Connecticut, and
he was working at the Westfield World Trade Center retail space,
which is the subterranean mall that sat between the two towers,
and he was commuting into New York on a temporary basis,
(12:04):
and he was there that day. He actually survived the
impact of both planes. We my older brother was able
to talk to him on the phone. He said that
he was okay, but that he was helping with the
evacuation process, and my older brother urged him to get
out of the building. He said that he would, and
that was the end of the conversation. And then later
(12:26):
we found out that he was in the lobby of
the South Tower and he had recognized that there was
a lot of pandemonium, and that the FDNY and the
NYPD were having a really hard time communicating with each other.
So my dad, who was working for the Westfield World
Trade Center, which is the mall you know, which is
(12:48):
the retail company, he remembered that he had a box
of portable two way radios on the seventeenth floor, And
we were able to piece all this together because we
talked to his colleagues. So his colleague said that my
dad and him were in the lobby. The colleague left
the building, and my Dad said, I'm going to run
back up to the seventeenth floor. I'm gonna I'm gonna
(13:10):
grab a box of those walkie talkie kind of those
portable two way radios, and I'm going to bring them
back to the FDNY command post, which was set up
in the lobby of the South Tower. So even the
FDNY had had no idea that those towers were gonna
fall because their fall because their command post was literally
in the lobby of the South Tower. So his goal,
(13:30):
according to his colleague, was to go up to the
seventeenth floor, which is where their office was, grab the
radios and bring it back to the FDNY command posts
and then he himself was going to get out of
the building, so they both parted ways. We assumed that
my dad was somewhere on the way to get those
radios when the South Tower fell, and then we we've
(13:52):
never recovered him. So he's one of the I think
it's forty eight or forty nine percent of the people
that haven't been found or haven't been identified from that day.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Oh man, that's that's got to be rough. And I
believe last time we talked, you said this what he
was doing was pretty heroic because he wasn't just leaving
the building. He was there to get people out.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
If I'm not mistaken, Yeah, that's right. And that's what
makes this all so bittersweet, is because on one hand,
you know, you miss your dad and you wish that
he was here for your life and for your milestones
and whether it be you know, teaching you how to
drive a car, or tie a tie, or go on
your first job interview. He missed all those, you know,
he missed the birth of his grandkids, He missed all
(14:36):
of our weddings. So that's the bitter part. But then
you know, the sweet part is is that you know
he's going to be remembered as a hero. And he
gave his life in service of others. He gave his
life saving others, and and he and he died a hero.
So so that's the part that we're proud of. But
the part that we're bitter about is why didn't you
just do what most other people did that day and
(14:59):
and just get hell out of the building.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Well, let me ask you this then, when the ruling
comes down, is that one of those moments you just
feel his presence with you as you're reading that, like, yes,
I'm getting justice from my dad right now among the others.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Yeah, Yeah, there's certainly been a there's certainly been a
few times along this fight, you know when you just
kind of feel his and all the family members energy
just kind of pushing everyone to keep going because we
need that, you know, we need these wins, and we
need those moments of reflection, and that moment of sort
(15:35):
of feels like divine intervention, you know. I think when
I was reading part of the decision, we were getting
all kinds of media on it. I went to X
or Twitter and I was gonna tweet something out and
I looked I looked to see how many followers I had,
because it's like, how many people actually are seeing my tweets? Right,
(15:58):
And it was this bizarre moment where I looked and
the number of followers I had was nine to eleven,
nine hundred and eleven followers. And this was right in
the middle of when that ruling was coming and we
were getting a press statement out. So it's like, it's
moments like that where you're like, geez, that's kind of awkward,
or no, that's kind of weird. Rather, yeah, no, that is.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
That is certainly a synchronistic moment in a sense, and
one of those signs I always find it where when
I look at the clock and it's nine to eleven,
I'm like, why it happen to look at this moment?
You know, it just it's kind of those things, Brett.
I have to say though, that this city has really rallied.
And I gotta also give credit to John Stewart because
he's been a big advocate for nine eleven. Did he
(16:39):
have any you know, does he reject you at all
and say and follow this lawsuit with you guys, because
I know he's a big advocate for nine to eleven
victims as well.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Don Stewart's a great advocate. I wish he would be
more involved on the Saudi Arabia angle and the government,
our government's lack of cooperation. He but he deserves all
the credit in the world because what John does is
he focuses on which is a very much needed and
very important aspect of all this. But he focuses on
(17:08):
the benefits and healthcare and taking care of all those
first responders who ran into the building to save the dying,
you know, to to save all those trapped, all the
fire department, all the EMS workers, all the FDNY people
not only on that day but in the months after
who were working on the pile and and digging and
doing whatever they can to try to find anybody who
(17:30):
who anybody who was alive that day. All those guys
are super sick guys and girls, women, And it's and
it's and it's a it's a it's a tragedy. What's
happened to them with the way that they've been treated
by our government, the lack of funding every year. It
has to be a fight. Why does it have to
(17:51):
be a fight. It shouldn't be a fight. You know,
when our country hands over x amount of billion dollars
for you know, foreign aid or for the Ukraine war,
whatever you want to call it. And I don't mean
to make this political, because there there there are democratic
policies where we hand money over, and there's Republican policies
where we hand money over. But you know, it's a
shame when first responders and those sick with terminal illnesses
(18:17):
have to go to Washington to beg for money for
just simple basic healthcare.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
And some spokes are really sick when they go there.
I mean they are really sick.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
They're they're on oxygen, they're in wheelchairs, they're really sick.
And and John Stewart's been a champion for them, you know.
I know he's spread thin, so I'm not trying to
but it would be great if you would join this
fight too, because he's so effective and he's so good.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Well maybe maybe we'll tag him on this. I don't
know yet, but you know, I will say this. I
feel like, in a sense, we've dealt with that internal battle,
right That's been the internal battle for nine to eleven
victims for many, many years. But what you did, Brett
was take this to the next level and say, Okay,
we've been working on ourselves. Let's go after the external
(19:08):
part of this for closure for justice.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
And you've done that now, yeah, no, So would you
can throw.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
At a next step from Zadroga or is that a
completely separate thing.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
I consider Zadroga and us sort of like two different aspects,
but both pushing for the same thing. We all want justice.
And by the way, a lot of those people who
are who are benefiting from the Zadroga bill, they're in
our lawsuits. So there are brothers and sisters in arms.
They have more pressing matters to deal with, which is
keeping themselves alive and getting them coverage. So I don't
(19:43):
expect them to be fighting the Saudi government fight, right,
I don't expect them to be fighting the transparency fight.
They have their own fish to fry, for lack of
a better term. So I'm totally with them, you know,
I'm totally with them in spirit and and and I'm
put for them to get their benefits. I stay focused
on the government keeping information from us. I'm stay focused
(20:08):
on us pursuing justice against all the bad actors and
holding those people accountable that actually did this to us.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
And Bray, you have a legal background as well, right,
if I'm not mistaken or.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
You No, No, I don't. I'm not a lawyer. Thank
god I'm not one, because I see I see the
way they're treated, I see what they have to go through.
And I actually have a background in banking, so I'm
a I work for a small bank up in Connecticut.
But but but yeah, so I kind of see this
(20:40):
as like to two tracks going to the same destination,
and that's closure and that's accountability. All right.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
I gotta ask you this. When you're when the first
family joined to side you in this fight, I got
to imagine that was about fifteen twenty years ago. What
was your reaction? Do you think more would you know,
join this fight? Or are you almost humbled or surprise
every time another family says yes, I want to be
part of this now.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Families all the time read about a decision or they
read about an update, and they come and they reach
out and they want to be part of our group,
and they want to be a part of nine to
eleven Injustice, and we welcome them with open arms. But
I can't take all the credit. I wasn't the first
one to start this fight, you know, I joined the
fight in twenty sixteen, just as as one of these
(21:31):
other family members, and I went to the lawyers who
were fighting our case, and I said, what can I
do to help? And that was when we were trying
to get our law Jasta past. And you know, I
started working with Congress, and I worked with my own
House representative, and then one thing led to another, and
I developed the relationship with all of our House reps,
and then I got introduced to our senators and then
(21:52):
the next and it kind of just built from there.
And it wasn't until twenty twenty two that a group
of us became organized and they asked me to be
the president, and we formed a group called nine to
eleven Justice, which is what now we're known as because
prior to that, we were just going around shouting and
throwing anything at the wall that would stick. Now we
actually have a five to one C four and you know,
(22:14):
we have a media arm, and you know we're a
well oiled machine at this point.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
All right, well, I gotta ask you this because, as
you know, we talk a bit of sports, and I
see they're gonna have the Yankees and Mets again on
September eleventh. I'm sure you know family members that love
these these teams. Were you emotional when you saw that
in twenty twenty one, and will you be as emotional
when you see them connect again in twenty twenty five?
In twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Are you talking about the Yankees Mets game?
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Yeah, I mean that that's gonna be a special night.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah, it really is. It's always I mean, it's hard
to not get emotional. Yeah, definitely. I wish I could
say I was a Yankees fan, but I'm actually a
Red Sox fan. Believe it or not. You got to
keep in mind that I'm about two and a half
hours away from the city, so uh yeah, I'm sure.
I'm sure your listeners don't want to hear that. But no,
(23:08):
but all joking aside. Uh, it's just it's just great
when they do it. It's emotional, especially when the stadium
starts to do their chance. I mean, I mean, how
could you not get uh you know, like like a
little teary eyed there.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Oh my god, I got to tell you. Sorry. I
was there when President Bush throughout the first pitch in
now that first game and the World Series, the helicopters
flying all around. It was I'm getting a bit of goose.
I'm just thinking about that, but that's yeah, what there,
And of course Piazza's home run. We can never forget
that either.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Yeah, yeah, or how about when you know I was
sleeping when it happened. I went to bed early that night,
but it was a late night game. I forget who
was playing, but uh, the stadium chart started chanting US
A USA when when news was breaking that Osama bin laden. Yeah,
that's another one of each other. That was I knew
the Mets were, but it's an other one of those
(24:00):
kind of like goosebump moments.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Right, it's where's up by the way, because I want
to focus on that. You know, nine to eleven families
have their grief, but they're also living in real time.
You guys are living in real time and you know,
just trying to enjoy life the best you can all
at the same time here.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Yeah, yeah, And that's that's sometimes harder, it's sometimes not
as not an easy thing to do. And there's moments
when I should be you know, present, like at uh,
you know, my kids preschool, graduation or a soccer game,
and as I can't be because I have, you know,
(24:39):
pressing questions from a news reporter or there's some breaking
news on what's happening with the case. So so it's
it's it's hard, but it's important to keep that balance
and keep perspective because we all know too well that
we can't take you know, we can't take a single
day for granted. So you know, I just want to
I guess I just want to say, I just want
to be done with all this, right. I want to
(25:00):
to be done with fighting. I want to be able
to be a like a very present father and just
be present with the with my family. And and that's
that's nearly impossible to do as much as I want
to do it because of all the time that this
takes and I still have, you know, I still have
to keep the lights on. I have a full time job,
and and it's just you know, all of my spare
(25:22):
time outside of work and family goes goes to waging
this battle.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
All right, Before you join this, were you always you know,
vocal about how you lost your dad or did this
sort of bring you that community that you can be
open and can bring out that emotional side of losing
your dad. I mean, you sound like a tough guy, man,
and I feel like it must have been really sort
(25:48):
of leieving to find these families as well, you know
that we're grieving all at the same time.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
Yeah, I mean, it took a while for me to
even want to raise these issues and fight this fight.
It took a while for me to come out of
my shell. You know what happened in two thousand and one.
I was fifteen years old at the time. I was
focused on just graduating high school. Then I was focused
on going to college and getting a degree so I
(26:15):
could live a normal life. And you know, you focus
on all the things that are right in front of
your nose, right and it's like, all right, well, I
need I need to graduate, and you need to take
it one day at a time. And you know, it
wasn't until twenty sixteen when I was you know, settled in.
I had graduated college, I had my degree, I had
my you know, I kind of had my career in
(26:37):
a good spot. I was, you know, working at a bank,
I was engaged to be married, so kind of things
were starting to settle down in my life. And I've
always had this kind of uneasiness about what we've been
told about nine to eleven and I'm I'm not one
of these conspiracy nuts that is ever going to tell
you that, oh, you know, an alien ship with a
(26:59):
light energy beam, you know, destroyed the towers of the
Plans or holograms. But you know, I mean not that
kind of bullshit, crazy stuff. But I never believe and.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
I was gonna say, Brett, those conspiracies must drive you
absolutely insane. It must actually be very offensive when you
hear that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
Yeah, like you got to ignore it. And that's the
only way I deal with it. I just shut it out.
I don't engage. I just kind of chuckle at it
to be like, I can't believe that people actually think this.
You know, I guess you can convince anybody anything these days.
But so so you shut that well.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
And to your point that they're they're starting to teach
this kind of if I can say, shit, they're starting
to teach this kind of shit in the schools and
take away from really what happened. It's sort of becoming
a whitewashing in the schools.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
Now, yeah, well that's gonna be phase two with this.
It's gonna be phase two is once we could take
a deep breath and get accountability enclosure from the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia. I think Phase two is going to
be about education, and you know, it should be taught
publicly in in every school. Quite sure yet at what
grade level, But but I think it should be a
(28:03):
mandatory class at least at some point in high school.
You know, maybe if not in high school, you know,
seventh or eighth grade. But but yeah, it needs to
be done, and it needs to happen, and it needs
to be taught the right way.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
And I'll tell you this was the first real day
I felt that fall air again. And every time I
think of early September and working downtown as you know,
I work right near you know, the tragedy site in
nine to eleven, it just it gives you that chill
every time you're in the area and it feels cooler,
it feels like fall. It feels like September again. You know,
it's like we're here already.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
You can feel it coming, Yeah, you can feel it coming.
The humidity goes away, the sun is just a little
bit less powerful. You get those clean, crisp, beautiful, beautiful days, right,
It's just like they're all gorgeous days and it but
you know, you want to enjoy the weather, but there's
that just overarching sense of what's you know, nine eleven
(28:59):
is right around the corner, you know, it's this time
of year, it's right around Labor Day. It's like the
stories are gonna come, the media is gonna be calling,
and it's you know, it's it's really not a it's
not a pleasant time of year for a lot of us.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
All Right, I gotta ask you this. And I know
Swedish house Mafia lost people in nine to eleven as well,
but my first gut reaction to them throwing a concert,
it just always feels like a sacred day not to
throw a concert. And I don't know if you've seen
any of that, and and that they're doing a concert
nine to eleven, it just it never felt right. But
because I lost family members, I understand it. Also have
(29:34):
you have you seen any of that?
Speaker 2 (29:37):
No, I haven't followed. I haven't been following that story.
But what was there? Like there was something last year
on the day I forget maybe I think it was
another concert maybe or there was a.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Do you think that's a way to heal or should
nine to eleven be a sacred day? I guess this
is my question.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
I've never been big on telling people how they should
deal with stuff, right, I don't know. I mean, that's
a difficult question to answer because I can you know,
you can convince me that, you know what, moving on
living a normal life and going to a concert or
going to the movies or doing whatever. You know, it's
it's it's helpful to people, and especially the family members.
So I think every family member is gonna have a
(30:22):
different perspective on that, and they're gonna have a different
view on that. There's no right or wrong answer me personally,
I don't think I would choose to do anything on
that day, like a concert or anything like that. I
might I might choose to go in a ten something,
So like, I don't know, I guess it's I guess
I'm not really answering the questions.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Well, and that's why they side. Ohias is such a
very ritualistic special with the bagpipes, that's how you honor.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Because yeah, that's a cool that's that's actually when I
saw you last year, that was the first time that
I ever went to O'Hara's because one of my fellow
nine to eleven family members said that they go every year,
and he wanted me to go and be a part
of that tradition. So me and one of the lawyers.
Actually that's who I was with when you bumped into me. Uh,
we were we were just leaving that and it's it's
(31:09):
a really it's a really remarkable, kind of very powerful
thing that they do. So stuff like that. Absolutely, that
we have.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
The firefighters honor their fallen brethren, it's just it's emotional
because the fire has is right there ladder ten. I mean,
it's just it's wow. Which reason another point. I don't
know if you know what's going on in Staten Island
if you heard about this, but they're gonna put more
names on a memorial wall in Staten Island thanks to
the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. I actually connect you with
(31:39):
them because they're going to do a big ceremony on
October eighteenth and Staten Island to continue honoring the memory.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Yeah, no, no, it's great, I say. They putting the
names on those who have passed.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Yeah, with with nine to eleven illnesses, now, I mean yeah,
to include those with the illnesses is a big step forward.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
I think I think that's appropriate. Every one of those
uh emergency workers, whether they be ems or construction workers
or whoever it may be that that that worked the
pile or worked there that day, I think absolutely should
should should be honored.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
All right, Well, I'm the Yankee fans, so I'm still
a little bummed out about two thousand and four. But
I have to ask you. You're seventeen years old, I
have guessed, or was eighteen at the time, and you
lust you down nine to eleven, But didn't you feel
him when they won the world when they did that
comeback and that World Series? It just must have felt so.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
Oh because he was a Red Sox fan too. I
remember those that was that was a wild series and
everybody thought the Red Sox were down and out. It was.
It was three games to one, I remember it very vividly.
And then there was the stolen base right and and
allowed the Red Sox to to three. It was three
games to nothing.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
Dave Roberts would also be the World Series and a manager.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Right, right, it was three to nothing, and and and
and I remember the signs at college were all the
Red Sox fans were saying, we're down but not out,
We're down but not out and oftentimes. I felt that
way about the nine to eleven as it's like we're down,
but we're not out. We're still here, We're still you know,
we're still fighting, you know, you know, we're still landing
weak punches here and there. And yeah, that what an
(33:19):
amazing ride that was. And I felt I felt the
energy of my dad for sure, because I know he
would have been laughing and smiling at the way that
the Red Sox just every year they would break your heart,
right And I remember watching playoff games with him, and
you know, the Red Sox would be doing great all
season and then come fall they would just totally bottom out,
(33:40):
totally bottom out year after year, or they would get
to the playoffs and they'd win the wild card and
then they would just get swept, or they would go nowhere.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
You were, I'm doing the math here. You were born
in eighty six, is that right or what you're Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Yeah, I was born in eighty six. Yep, yeah, and.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
We all know that year too. I mean, there's just
been wild moment after a wild moment for the Boston
but then that moment happened, and uh, and it is
kind of interesting to hear your perspective as well, because
now that I know you're a baseball guy, we can
talk about that all day.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
I mean, come on, absolutely, absolutely. Yeah. And then the
other thing was is me and my dad used to
watch the Patriots together. And in two thousand and one,
you'll remember, you know, the Super Bowl of that year,
So the Super Bowl that was actually in January of
two thousand and two, right, so it was the first
Super Bowl after I.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Was on my apartment floor and I told my mom,
order Patriot gear right now because vine Terry just kicked
this team into the Super Bowl champion. And and I
remember Brady.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
Remember Brady? Remember Brady? Yeah? Remember Brady came in mid
season and we're all thinking like, oh boy, and he
ended up. He ended up. I think I remember my
I remember I can't remember now, oh man, but I
think my dad was alive. I think it was before
nine to eleven that Brady. No, it must have not
have been. No, I think Bledsoe. I think Bledsoe still
(35:03):
had with starting games. And then Brady came in probably
midway through that season. But then he went and he
went and won the Patriots. He won the Patriots the
Super Bowl that year, and what that that was emotional
for me because my dad and I had.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
You had the whole opening ceremonies and you had the
whole honoring the troops. I think Lee Rin would did
God bless the USA. I mean, it was just a whole,
a whole memory that night and then the Patriots.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
It was less than yeah, it was less than six months.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
And the Rams were supposed to win that one.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
That the Rams were supposed to win that with the Rams,
I think we're a huge, a huge favorite ah Man though.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
And now he's the UNC coach. I mean, it's funny
just how life keeps going forward, right so here, I know, Well, Brett,
you mentioned something a little while ago which I want
to touch on before we go, is you feel like
you're not there yet? What would be the ultimate closure?
Like what's next? I mean you're able to assue now,
but where do you go next?
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Well, I mean I think that an acknowledgment by the
Saudi government. And look, we're not looking to change relations
with the Kingdom. I know I'm not. You know, I'm
rational enough to know that we depend on the Saudi
Kingdom to stabilize the world world oil markets. They're big
trading partners with US. They buy a lot of our weapons,
(36:27):
they invest in a lot of American companies. But it's
also important to keep in mind that that NBS, who's
the current day to day ruler, was fifteen years old
at the time. Him and I are the same age.
He had nothing to do with nine to eleven, and
he's done a lot of things to modernize his country,
(36:47):
So it shouldn't be that much of a stretch for
him to take accountability on behalf of his country. You know,
I think it'll be such justice for this community if
MBS could admit, would admit and say, you know what,
twenty five years ago, there were a bunch of bad
actors in our government and we should have done a
better job to weed them out, and we should have
(37:09):
been on them more, and we should have done things differently,
and had we have done things differently, nine to eleven
might not have happened. For Saudi Arabia to admit that,
I think that's the ultimate win.
Speaker 1 (37:22):
Well, we pray we get that, and yes, if it's
a monetary compensation, that would be incredible, But just the
acknowledgement they had a role, because you're right, they have
shirk responsibility. This whole entire twenty four year stretch here.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
That's right. They've denied and pushed back and fought back,
and you know, it's not as if it's not if
it's anything's going to change for them if they if
they admit culpability twenty four years later. It's not as
if we're going to stop buying oil from them, or
our defense industry is going to stop selling them weapons.
It's not like they're gonna lose Trump support anytime soon.
(37:58):
But what it would do is would bring peace and
justice and closure for our community. So you know, I
don't think there's any downside to them doing it, and
it's and it's all the upside. At least they at
least we'd stop slamming them in the media and stop
you know, protesting them and stop fighting them everything that
they tried to do.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
You know, we need to have a lot of clarity
and a lot of uh, you know, we need them
to admit that they were part of it, and not
just rely on the twenty eight pages in the commission.
I mean, I still remember that to this day, twenty
eight pages, and no one is like the element in
the room still brett. It just it boggles my mind.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
But yeah, that.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
That being said, do come back as things progress, and
I do want to say congratulations on this major step.
And dare I say you are having one leg up
for the victims of nine to eleven and for your
dad justice for your dad as well.
Speaker 2 (38:56):
Absolutely, Yeah, thank you for having me, thank you for
staying on the story, and we will definitely come back
and give you updates as updates happen. Hopefully they happen
more quickly than they have been happening. But you know,
I think now between now and next year, between now
and the next year's twenty fifth year anniversary, there's going
to be a lot happening and a lot more attention
(39:17):
on all of this.
Speaker 1 (39:19):
And I didn't want to go there, but I have
to say, they did this really incredible memorial wells and
the selfies that I see outside of it. I know
it's a tourist thing, but do they bother you? I
have to ask that before.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
We rap they do. Yeah, it's one of the reasons
I don't like to go there. It's one of the
reasons I want to stay away. But I don't know.
I don't have a good reason. I don't have a
good answer. I don't have a good solution on how
you stop that. I mean, you see it down in
Washington too, where you know, there's folks, you know, taking
pictures in front of the Ewajima Memorial and the World
(39:55):
War Two Memorial, and it's just you know, I mean,
it's supposed to be a somber place, and eventually you
know that, you know, that's gonna be the same. I mean,
it already has started happening at the World Trade Center site.
You know, we can talk about this, uh some other time,
but you know, you know, one of the other things
(40:16):
here that I think would help that is if the
nine to eleven Memorial were to become like under the
jurisdiction of the federal government. I don't know why the
nine to eleven Memorial would be any different than say
Mount Rushmore or the World War Two Memorial or the
Vietnam Memorial. It almost seems that the nine to eleven
(40:38):
site is a sacred US site. So it's it's odd
to me that it's controlled by an independent board of directors.
It doesn't it doesn't seem like that's the appropriate way
to to to administrate that space, I know.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
And then and then, of course, when they close down
the one on Greenitch Street. It just that was horrible too,
because I felt like they were closing down a piece
of remembering what happened on nine to eleven.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
Yeah, that's right, Well, we can go into that more
and more.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Maybe maybe there could be progress on that. Maybe that
could be an initiative that you and I talk, you know,
try and spear it with somebody. But you're right, it
should be under federal you know, jurisdiction. And it just
it bothers me that they monetize on it. Okay, I'm
just gonna say that, right, it bothers me. Private entities
have come in and monetize on this. I mean they
(41:27):
have a gift shop, a gift shop, Brett.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
I know, yeah, I know. I mean I wish I
had more time to fight that battle as well. But
but right now, I just we're we're laser focused on
accountability from the kingdom, and uh, you know, maybe that's
the day two project that we all kind of put
our put our thinking caps on and figure out a
way to make that better. But I'll happily take your
(41:54):
help up on that if that's something you want to go.
Speaker 1 (41:56):
Yeah, because I'm reading now the CEO of nine eleven
Memorial Museum defends blow Did salaries. I mean, this is ridiculous.
I just say, yeah, it's it's outrageous. But you and
I could stop this, maybe get connected with other leaders
and you know, see what we can do, because you're right,
this should be fedilized, not privatize.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
It's it's time absolutely.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Bredwick eagleson, Prison of nine to eleven Justice for Families,
Thank you so much, and I do want to have
you back as things progress for the families and justice prevails.
I guess you would.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
Say thank you. I appreciate that. All right.
Speaker 1 (42:31):
I'm Alex Garrett and there has been one leg up
with Alex Garrett and Brett eagleson
All right, Well we're gonna have a very special follow
up now because there is some good news for families
of nine to eleven victims, and to report on it
from you know, justice from the nine eleven families is
Brett Eagleson. Brett, welcome back to the show. And first
of all, incredible. We ran into each other on September
eleventh last year at O'Hara's as they were honoring you know,
(00:23):
the fallen that last year.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Yeah, that was pretty neat. I couldn't believe it. We
were walking out and I almost I almost bumped right
into you crossing the street. So very very serendipitous moment.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
And now we come about a year or so later,
a year so later and give some good news. So
tell us what this judgment means that yes, Saudi you
Abia could face culpability and lawsuits from the nine eleven families.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah right, I mean, this is an incredible development for
the families. This is what we've been waiting for. This
is what we've been spending so much time shouting about,
and our legal team and the former agents, the former
FBI agents, all those that have come forward. This is
everything that we've been building towards and working towards the
(01:12):
end of the day, all we want is our day
of justice and our day in court. And the Saudi
Kingdom has fought us tooth and nail. This is a
truly David versus Goliath story. Saudi Arabia has what seems
to be limitless amounts of resources and money. Their their
tentacles reached deep within every branch of our government that
(01:33):
they outfund us probably a million dollars to every one
of our dollars, and that is no exaggeration. So they
have fought tooth and nail to prevent this day from happening.
But at the end of the day, this is a win,
not just for the nine to eleven families, not just
for everyone in New York. But this is truly a
win for America and a win for justice because what
(01:56):
it does is a federal judge has said, we have
produced enough evidence that we can actually proceed and sue
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its role in the
nine to eleven attacks. Now, the judge stops short of
saying that, yeah, Saudi Arabia is guilty based on what
he has seen, because this decision wasn't about that. This
(02:18):
decision was about is there enough credible evidence to actually
warrant a trial and warrant this lawsuit. And the answer
is overwhelmingly yes there is.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
And you know, I was just thinking here you were
up in the podium on July second, talking about, hey,
you know, whoever gets elected needs to do more. And
it seems like now, if this administration is going to
keep dealing with Saudi Arabia, it is up to the
families to take action themselves.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yeah. I mean this is We've been taking action ourselves
for twenty years. It seems like I joined this fight
in twenty sixteen when we passed the law in Congress
called the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act. It's abbreviated
as just a JASTA And it's because of that law
that we passed. That's why we're even able to hold
(03:08):
a foreign sovereign accountable in US courts. But we did
that again against the lobbying of Saudi Arabia. We did
it with no help from our government. In fact, President
Obama at the time vetoed the bill. So we delivered
to Obama his one and only veto override of his
entire eight years as president. So that's sort of a
(03:29):
feather in our cap for us to do that, and
we did it with ninety seven senators, even senators from
his own party voting against him. So clearly the intent
of Congress was to allow the nine to eleven families
a day in court, and that's what this is all about.
We've had no help from the Trump administration. We had
a little bit of help from Biden in the sense
(03:49):
that he did give us an executive order which declassified
certain nine to eleven documents. However, when it comes to Trump,
I mean his record to sporting transparency and helping the
families has not been great. He invoked the State secrets
principle on us two times when when when we were
starting to really dig into some of the FBI nine
(04:12):
to eleven documents, his administration invoked what's known as the
State Secrets Principle, making it nearly imposter us to obtain
the documents that we needed. So, you know what, the
the families have been at it by ourselves all along.
But I do have to give a shout out to
there are certain members of Congress who have been by
(04:33):
our side in a very big bipartisan way. Senator Bloomenthal,
my senator from Connecticut, has been a super strong ally.
Senator Cornyn from Texas, Senator Grassley, all those names have
been by us our sides for a while, helping us.
And then you know some of the true He can't.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Forget Peter King, who was a big advocate forgetting forget.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
I would be remiss if I did not mention mister King,
who was a huge ally of ours. It's a shame
and it's unfortunate that he's no longer in Congress, but
he's sorely missed by our community because he was one
of our strongest allies. But also I would be remiss
if I didn't mention the former Intel officials who were
(05:21):
the ones investigating the Saudi rule in nine to eleven,
the former FBI agents, those who have come forward and said,
you know what, we didn't get it right. Saudi Arabia
really did do it, and they're the ones that are
coming forward and they've been helping these family members for
probably a decade now.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
All Right. You know, I've been done about federal judges
a bit this week because there's been other rulings that
I find maybe federal judges are not being activists here,
do you follow the rule of law in the sense of,
we got to make sure all these judges are not
doing activist rulings. And clearly this one's for America. It's
not an activist ruling. It's kind of refreshing when you
think about it, dealing on what we've seen around other
(06:01):
federal judges this year.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Yeah, I don't see how this could be portrayed in
any way as activist. You know, the will of.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Common activist, which is a breath of fresh air, you know.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
No, no, no, yeah, yeah no, And and I am
agreeing with you, Yeah, yeah. There is no part of
this that is activist whatsoever. So it's nice, it's nice
that this is you know, by the way, this is
an apolitical story. I'm shocked that there isn't more coverage
of this that you know, Fox News, for example, isn't
running with this and picking this up. You know, it
(06:34):
just seems like this is such a feel good story.
There's really not a political edge to it. This is
this is truly an American story. And you know, the
twenty fourth anniversary of nine to eleven is less than
ten days away, and and you know what a gift
from from the judge or from what whoever you want
to call it. But you know, this ruling comes within
(06:55):
two weeks of nine to eleven. Is just is just
such a such a great shot in the arm.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
We need more judges who get it, That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, more judge, Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Alutely.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Let me ask you this, because it is about to
be nine to eleven a week in a few days
from now, could we see just nine to eleven Justice
roll out the first lawsuit to commemorate and like sort
of say yes, twenty four years later we can get
justice for our families.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Yeah, I mean, well, I'm not sure what you mean
by that question.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Would you guys actually file us lawsuit in honor of
the victims around nine to eleven? It's saying yes, twenty
four years later, we are getting closure now.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
So we actually did file that lawsuit. That's what this
entire argument was about. We filed the lawsuit in twenty seventeen.
The Kingdom initially tried to have us dismissed in twenty seventeen.
At that point, they failed and the judge allowed us
limited discovery. So for the past seven years we've had
discovery on the Southern California cell about Hata. We've had
(08:01):
to fight our government tooth and nail for basically a
bunch of nothing worth of documents for the purposes of
our discovery. Then fast forward to about two years ago,
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia tried again for the second
time to have our case dismissed. That is what this
(08:22):
ruling is on. So so he was ruling on that
second attempt to have our lawsuit dismissed. They again have
been denied. So now the lawsuit moves forward to the
next phase, which is full blown discovery, and we're talking
about a trial you know, sometime between now in the
twenty fifth year anniversary of nine to eleven, as long
as he expedites this, this this Saudi appeal. So we
(08:44):
expect the Saudi government is going to appeal this latest decision.
Hopefully it gets expedited in the interest of time. You know,
these families have been at it for a long time.
I hope it doesn't get dragged out, but it's gonna
run a parallel track with the twenty fifth anniversary of
nine to eleven.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Brett. I feel like these efforts never make you tired.
In fact, They energize you every step of the way,
don't they.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
They absolutely do. I mean, as I was saying before,
that this is a shot in the arm to all
of us and we desperately needed it because we were
waiting for the judge to make this ruling for thirteen
months and finally, two weeks before nine to eleven, this
ruling comes. And I got to tell you, I've spoken
to hundreds of nine to eleven family members and they've
(09:28):
all never been more determined to seek justice. And no
one's going away. This lawsuit isn't going away. People are
going to pursue it. Whether I do it or whether
I don't do it, people are still going to pursue it.
This community is hell bent on getting justice and getting accountability.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Absolutely. Okay. I know we talked a little because of
the around this time Live and PGA were emerging, and
I know you were disgusted by that, But could this
open up the door for other agreements is to be
finally against? Sorry Rabel, Like, is this is this landmark
what you're doing that other things could be challenged a
little more easier?
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Now? Yeah? I mean I think that the judge had
to be really, really careful in his decision, which is
why it took him thirteen months, because it sets a precedent.
Right now, under the law a jasta, you can sue
a foreign sovereign. So I think that if you have
enough evidence and enough credibility, and if there is suspicion
(10:27):
backed up by real evidence, I think that it opens
up the door for a lot of other grievances.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
When this first came down, were you around family members
and was there a lot of tears in that room?
Speaker 2 (10:40):
I was, actually I was actually stuck in traffic, believe
it or not, when the decision came, and I couldn't
wait to get out of traffic so I could hop
on my phone and read the decision. And then before
I even had a chance to read through the decision,
I must have had twenty text messages and another ten
phone calls, So I don't it took me about five
(11:01):
hours to get through the actual reading of the physical
decision because of how elated the family members were, and
we were just celebrating, and we were all just reminiscing
on how long it's been to get to this point
and how at times it looked really tough, and we
didn't know that we would get there, but you know,
it was just a moment of pure relief and pure determination.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
I urge others to listen to our podcast from actually
July second, when you had that press conference. But I
want to refresh people's memories that they haven't listened back
that far yet. Who did you lose a nine to eleven?
Why did this? Who wasn't that fired up to get
justice for them? For your family?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
I lost my dad when I was fifteen years old.
I was a sophomore in high school in Connecticut, and
he was working at the Westfield World Trade Center retail space,
which is the subterranean mall that sat between the two towers,
and he was commuting into New York on a temporary basis,
(12:04):
and he was there that day. He actually survived the
impact of both planes. We my older brother was able
to talk to him on the phone. He said that
he was okay, but that he was helping with the
evacuation process, and my older brother urged him to get
out of the building. He said that he would, and
that was the end of the conversation. And then later
(12:26):
we found out that he was in the lobby of
the South Tower and he had recognized that there was
a lot of pandemonium, and that the FDNY and the
NYPD were having a really hard time communicating with each other.
So my dad, who was working for the Westfield World
Trade Center, which is the mall you know, which is
(12:48):
the retail company, he remembered that he had a box
of portable two way radios on the seventeenth floor, And
we were able to piece all this together because we
talked to his colleagues. So his colleague said that my
dad and him were in the lobby. The colleague left
the building, and my Dad said, I'm going to run
back up to the seventeenth floor. I'm gonna I'm gonna
(13:10):
grab a box of those walkie talkie kind of those
portable two way radios, and I'm going to bring them
back to the FDNY command post, which was set up
in the lobby of the South Tower. So even the
FDNY had had no idea that those towers were gonna
fall because their fall because their command post was literally
in the lobby of the South Tower. So his goal,
(13:30):
according to his colleague, was to go up to the
seventeenth floor, which is where their office was, grab the
radios and bring it back to the FDNY command posts
and then he himself was going to get out of
the building, so they both parted ways. We assumed that
my dad was somewhere on the way to get those
radios when the South Tower fell, and then we we've
(13:52):
never recovered him. So he's one of the I think
it's forty eight or forty nine percent of the people
that haven't been found or haven't been identified from that day.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Oh man, that's that's got to be rough. And I
believe last time we talked, you said this what he
was doing was pretty heroic because he wasn't just leaving
the building. He was there to get people out.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
If I'm not mistaken, Yeah, that's right. And that's what
makes this all so bittersweet, is because on one hand,
you know, you miss your dad and you wish that
he was here for your life and for your milestones
and whether it be you know, teaching you how to
drive a car, or tie a tie, or go on
your first job interview. He missed all those, you know,
he missed the birth of his grandkids, He missed all
(14:36):
of our weddings. So that's the bitter part. But then
you know, the sweet part is is that you know
he's going to be remembered as a hero. And he
gave his life in service of others. He gave his
life saving others, and and he and he died a hero.
So so that's the part that we're proud of. But
the part that we're bitter about is why didn't you
just do what most other people did that day and
(14:59):
and just get hell out of the building.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Well, let me ask you this then, when the ruling
comes down, is that one of those moments you just
feel his presence with you as you're reading that, like, yes,
I'm getting justice from my dad right now among the others.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Yeah, Yeah, there's certainly been a there's certainly been a
few times along this fight, you know when you just
kind of feel his and all the family members energy
just kind of pushing everyone to keep going because we
need that, you know, we need these wins, and we
need those moments of reflection, and that moment of sort
(15:35):
of feels like divine intervention, you know. I think when
I was reading part of the decision, we were getting
all kinds of media on it. I went to X
or Twitter and I was gonna tweet something out and
I looked I looked to see how many followers I had,
because it's like, how many people actually are seeing my tweets? Right,
(15:58):
And it was this bizarre moment where I looked and
the number of followers I had was nine to eleven,
nine hundred and eleven followers. And this was right in
the middle of when that ruling was coming and we
were getting a press statement out. So it's like, it's
moments like that where you're like, geez, that's kind of awkward,
or no, that's kind of weird. Rather, yeah, no, that is.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
That is certainly a synchronistic moment in a sense, and
one of those signs I always find it where when
I look at the clock and it's nine to eleven,
I'm like, why it happen to look at this moment?
You know, it just it's kind of those things, Brett.
I have to say though, that this city has really rallied.
And I gotta also give credit to John Stewart because
he's been a big advocate for nine eleven. Did he
(16:39):
have any you know, does he reject you at all
and say and follow this lawsuit with you guys, because
I know he's a big advocate for nine to eleven
victims as well.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Don Stewart's a great advocate. I wish he would be
more involved on the Saudi Arabia angle and the government,
our government's lack of cooperation. He but he deserves all
the credit in the world because what John does is
he focuses on which is a very much needed and
very important aspect of all this. But he focuses on
(17:08):
the benefits and healthcare and taking care of all those
first responders who ran into the building to save the dying,
you know, to to save all those trapped, all the
fire department, all the EMS workers, all the FDNY people
not only on that day but in the months after
who were working on the pile and and digging and
doing whatever they can to try to find anybody who
(17:30):
who anybody who was alive that day. All those guys
are super sick guys and girls, women, And it's and
it's and it's a it's a it's a tragedy. What's
happened to them with the way that they've been treated
by our government, the lack of funding every year. It
has to be a fight. Why does it have to
(17:51):
be a fight. It shouldn't be a fight. You know,
when our country hands over x amount of billion dollars
for you know, foreign aid or for the Ukraine war,
whatever you want to call it. And I don't mean
to make this political, because there there there are democratic
policies where we hand money over, and there's Republican policies
where we hand money over. But you know, it's a
shame when first responders and those sick with terminal illnesses
(18:17):
have to go to Washington to beg for money for
just simple basic healthcare.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
And some spokes are really sick when they go there.
I mean they are really sick.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
They're they're on oxygen, they're in wheelchairs, they're really sick.
And and John Stewart's been a champion for them, you know.
I know he's spread thin, so I'm not trying to
but it would be great if you would join this
fight too, because he's so effective and he's so good.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Well maybe maybe we'll tag him on this. I don't
know yet, but you know, I will say this. I
feel like, in a sense, we've dealt with that internal battle,
right That's been the internal battle for nine to eleven
victims for many, many years. But what you did, Brett
was take this to the next level and say, Okay,
we've been working on ourselves. Let's go after the external
(19:08):
part of this for closure for justice.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
And you've done that now, yeah, no, So would you
can throw.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
At a next step from Zadroga or is that a
completely separate thing.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
I consider Zadroga and us sort of like two different aspects,
but both pushing for the same thing. We all want justice.
And by the way, a lot of those people who
are who are benefiting from the Zadroga bill, they're in
our lawsuits. So there are brothers and sisters in arms.
They have more pressing matters to deal with, which is
keeping themselves alive and getting them coverage. So I don't
(19:43):
expect them to be fighting the Saudi government fight, right,
I don't expect them to be fighting the transparency fight.
They have their own fish to fry, for lack of
a better term. So I'm totally with them, you know,
I'm totally with them in spirit and and and I'm
put for them to get their benefits. I stay focused
on the government keeping information from us. I'm stay focused
(20:08):
on us pursuing justice against all the bad actors and
holding those people accountable that actually did this to us.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
And Bray, you have a legal background as well, right,
if I'm not mistaken or.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
You No, No, I don't. I'm not a lawyer. Thank
god I'm not one, because I see I see the
way they're treated, I see what they have to go through.
And I actually have a background in banking, so I'm
a I work for a small bank up in Connecticut.
But but but yeah, so I kind of see this
(20:40):
as like to two tracks going to the same destination,
and that's closure and that's accountability. All right.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
I gotta ask you this. When you're when the first
family joined to side you in this fight, I got
to imagine that was about fifteen twenty years ago. What
was your reaction? Do you think more would you know,
join this fight? Or are you almost humbled or surprise
every time another family says yes, I want to be
part of this now.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Families all the time read about a decision or they
read about an update, and they come and they reach
out and they want to be part of our group,
and they want to be a part of nine to
eleven Injustice, and we welcome them with open arms. But
I can't take all the credit. I wasn't the first
one to start this fight, you know, I joined the
fight in twenty sixteen, just as as one of these
(21:31):
other family members, and I went to the lawyers who
were fighting our case, and I said, what can I
do to help? And that was when we were trying
to get our law Jasta past. And you know, I
started working with Congress, and I worked with my own
House representative, and then one thing led to another, and
I developed the relationship with all of our House reps,
and then I got introduced to our senators and then
(21:52):
the next and it kind of just built from there.
And it wasn't until twenty twenty two that a group
of us became organized and they asked me to be
the president, and we formed a group called nine to
eleven Justice, which is what now we're known as because
prior to that, we were just going around shouting and
throwing anything at the wall that would stick. Now we
actually have a five to one C four and you know,
(22:14):
we have a media arm, and you know we're a
well oiled machine at this point.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
All right, well, I gotta ask you this because, as
you know, we talk a bit of sports, and I
see they're gonna have the Yankees and Mets again on
September eleventh. I'm sure you know family members that love
these these teams. Were you emotional when you saw that
in twenty twenty one, and will you be as emotional
when you see them connect again in twenty twenty five?
In twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Are you talking about the Yankees Mets game?
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Yeah, I mean that that's gonna be a special night.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah, it really is. It's always I mean, it's hard
to not get emotional. Yeah, definitely. I wish I could
say I was a Yankees fan, but I'm actually a
Red Sox fan. Believe it or not. You got to
keep in mind that I'm about two and a half
hours away from the city, so uh yeah, I'm sure.
I'm sure your listeners don't want to hear that. But no,
(23:08):
but all joking aside. Uh, it's just it's just great
when they do it. It's emotional, especially when the stadium
starts to do their chance. I mean, I mean, how
could you not get uh you know, like like a
little teary eyed there.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Oh my god, I got to tell you. Sorry. I
was there when President Bush throughout the first pitch in
now that first game and the World Series, the helicopters
flying all around. It was I'm getting a bit of goose.
I'm just thinking about that, but that's yeah, what there,
And of course Piazza's home run. We can never forget
that either.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Yeah, yeah, or how about when you know I was
sleeping when it happened. I went to bed early that night,
but it was a late night game. I forget who
was playing, but uh, the stadium chart started chanting US
A USA when when news was breaking that Osama bin laden. Yeah,
that's another one of each other. That was I knew
the Mets were, but it's an other one of those
(24:00):
kind of like goosebump moments.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Right, it's where's up by the way, because I want
to focus on that. You know, nine to eleven families
have their grief, but they're also living in real time.
You guys are living in real time and you know,
just trying to enjoy life the best you can all
at the same time here.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Yeah, yeah, And that's that's sometimes harder, it's sometimes not
as not an easy thing to do. And there's moments
when I should be you know, present, like at uh,
you know, my kids preschool, graduation or a soccer game,
and as I can't be because I have, you know,
(24:39):
pressing questions from a news reporter or there's some breaking
news on what's happening with the case. So so it's
it's it's hard, but it's important to keep that balance
and keep perspective because we all know too well that
we can't take you know, we can't take a single
day for granted. So you know, I just want to
I guess I just want to say, I just want
to be done with all this, right. I want to
(25:00):
to be done with fighting. I want to be able
to be a like a very present father and just
be present with the with my family. And and that's
that's nearly impossible to do as much as I want
to do it because of all the time that this
takes and I still have, you know, I still have
to keep the lights on. I have a full time job,
and and it's just you know, all of my spare
(25:22):
time outside of work and family goes goes to waging
this battle.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
All right, Before you join this, were you always you know,
vocal about how you lost your dad or did this
sort of bring you that community that you can be
open and can bring out that emotional side of losing
your dad. I mean, you sound like a tough guy, man,
and I feel like it must have been really sort
(25:48):
of leieving to find these families as well, you know
that we're grieving all at the same time.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
Yeah, I mean, it took a while for me to
even want to raise these issues and fight this fight.
It took a while for me to come out of
my shell. You know what happened in two thousand and one.
I was fifteen years old at the time. I was
focused on just graduating high school. Then I was focused
on going to college and getting a degree so I
(26:15):
could live a normal life. And you know, you focus
on all the things that are right in front of
your nose, right and it's like, all right, well, I
need I need to graduate, and you need to take
it one day at a time. And you know, it
wasn't until twenty sixteen when I was you know, settled in.
I had graduated college, I had my degree, I had
my you know, I kind of had my career in
(26:37):
a good spot. I was, you know, working at a bank,
I was engaged to be married, so kind of things
were starting to settle down in my life. And I've
always had this kind of uneasiness about what we've been
told about nine to eleven and I'm I'm not one
of these conspiracy nuts that is ever going to tell
you that, oh, you know, an alien ship with a
(26:59):
light energy beam, you know, destroyed the towers of the
Plans or holograms. But you know, I mean not that
kind of bullshit, crazy stuff. But I never believe and.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
I was gonna say, Brett, those conspiracies must drive you
absolutely insane. It must actually be very offensive when you
hear that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
Yeah, like you got to ignore it. And that's the
only way I deal with it. I just shut it out.
I don't engage. I just kind of chuckle at it
to be like, I can't believe that people actually think this.
You know, I guess you can convince anybody anything these days.
But so so you shut that well.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
And to your point that they're they're starting to teach
this kind of if I can say, shit, they're starting
to teach this kind of shit in the schools and
take away from really what happened. It's sort of becoming
a whitewashing in the schools.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
Now, yeah, well that's gonna be phase two with this.
It's gonna be phase two is once we could take
a deep breath and get accountability enclosure from the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia. I think Phase two is going to
be about education, and you know, it should be taught
publicly in in every school. Quite sure yet at what
grade level, But but I think it should be a
(28:03):
mandatory class at least at some point in high school.
You know, maybe if not in high school, you know,
seventh or eighth grade. But but yeah, it needs to
be done, and it needs to happen, and it needs
to be taught the right way.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
And I'll tell you this was the first real day
I felt that fall air again. And every time I
think of early September and working downtown as you know,
I work right near you know, the tragedy site in
nine to eleven, it just it gives you that chill
every time you're in the area and it feels cooler,
it feels like fall. It feels like September again. You know,
it's like we're here already.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
You can feel it coming, Yeah, you can feel it coming.
The humidity goes away, the sun is just a little
bit less powerful. You get those clean, crisp, beautiful, beautiful days, right,
It's just like they're all gorgeous days and it but
you know, you want to enjoy the weather, but there's
that just overarching sense of what's you know, nine eleven
(28:59):
is right around the corner, you know, it's this time
of year, it's right around Labor Day. It's like the
stories are gonna come, the media is gonna be calling,
and it's you know, it's it's really not a it's
not a pleasant time of year for a lot of us.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
All Right, I gotta ask you this. And I know
Swedish house Mafia lost people in nine to eleven as well,
but my first gut reaction to them throwing a concert,
it just always feels like a sacred day not to
throw a concert. And I don't know if you've seen
any of that, and and that they're doing a concert
nine to eleven, it just it never felt right. But
because I lost family members, I understand it. Also have
(29:34):
you have you seen any of that?
Speaker 2 (29:37):
No, I haven't followed. I haven't been following that story.
But what was there? Like there was something last year
on the day I forget maybe I think it was
another concert maybe or there was a.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Do you think that's a way to heal or should
nine to eleven be a sacred day? I guess this
is my question.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
I've never been big on telling people how they should
deal with stuff, right, I don't know. I mean, that's
a difficult question to answer because I can you know,
you can convince me that, you know what, moving on
living a normal life and going to a concert or
going to the movies or doing whatever. You know, it's
it's it's helpful to people, and especially the family members.
So I think every family member is gonna have a
(30:22):
different perspective on that, and they're gonna have a different
view on that. There's no right or wrong answer me personally,
I don't think I would choose to do anything on
that day, like a concert or anything like that. I
might I might choose to go in a ten something,
So like, I don't know, I guess it's I guess
I'm not really answering the questions.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Well, and that's why they side. Ohias is such a
very ritualistic special with the bagpipes, that's how you honor.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Because yeah, that's a cool that's that's actually when I
saw you last year, that was the first time that
I ever went to O'Hara's because one of my fellow
nine to eleven family members said that they go every year,
and he wanted me to go and be a part
of that tradition. So me and one of the lawyers.
Actually that's who I was with when you bumped into me. Uh,
we were we were just leaving that and it's it's
(31:09):
a really it's a really remarkable, kind of very powerful
thing that they do. So stuff like that. Absolutely, that
we have.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
The firefighters honor their fallen brethren, it's just it's emotional
because the fire has is right there ladder ten. I mean,
it's just it's wow. Which reason another point. I don't
know if you know what's going on in Staten Island
if you heard about this, but they're gonna put more
names on a memorial wall in Staten Island thanks to
the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. I actually connect you with
(31:39):
them because they're going to do a big ceremony on
October eighteenth and Staten Island to continue honoring the memory.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Yeah, no, no, it's great, I say. They putting the
names on those who have passed.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Yeah, with with nine to eleven illnesses, now, I mean yeah,
to include those with the illnesses is a big step forward.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
I think I think that's appropriate. Every one of those
uh emergency workers, whether they be ems or construction workers
or whoever it may be that that that worked the
pile or worked there that day, I think absolutely should
should should be honored.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
All right, Well, I'm the Yankee fans, so I'm still
a little bummed out about two thousand and four. But
I have to ask you. You're seventeen years old, I
have guessed, or was eighteen at the time, and you
lust you down nine to eleven, But didn't you feel
him when they won the world when they did that
comeback and that World Series? It just must have felt so.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
Oh because he was a Red Sox fan too. I
remember those that was that was a wild series and
everybody thought the Red Sox were down and out. It was.
It was three games to one, I remember it very vividly.
And then there was the stolen base right and and
allowed the Red Sox to to three. It was three
games to nothing.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
Dave Roberts would also be the World Series and a manager.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Right, right, it was three to nothing, and and and
and I remember the signs at college were all the
Red Sox fans were saying, we're down but not out,
We're down but not out and oftentimes. I felt that
way about the nine to eleven as it's like we're down,
but we're not out. We're still here, We're still you know,
we're still fighting, you know, you know, we're still landing
weak punches here and there. And yeah, that what an
(33:19):
amazing ride that was. And I felt I felt the
energy of my dad for sure, because I know he
would have been laughing and smiling at the way that
the Red Sox just every year they would break your heart,
right And I remember watching playoff games with him, and
you know, the Red Sox would be doing great all
season and then come fall they would just totally bottom out,
(33:40):
totally bottom out year after year, or they would get
to the playoffs and they'd win the wild card and
then they would just get swept, or they would go nowhere.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
You were, I'm doing the math here. You were born
in eighty six, is that right or what you're Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Yeah, I was born in eighty six. Yep, yeah, and.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
We all know that year too. I mean, there's just
been wild moment after a wild moment for the Boston
but then that moment happened, and uh, and it is
kind of interesting to hear your perspective as well, because
now that I know you're a baseball guy, we can
talk about that all day.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
I mean, come on, absolutely, absolutely. Yeah. And then the
other thing was is me and my dad used to
watch the Patriots together. And in two thousand and one,
you'll remember, you know, the Super Bowl of that year,
So the Super Bowl that was actually in January of
two thousand and two, right, so it was the first
Super Bowl after I.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Was on my apartment floor and I told my mom,
order Patriot gear right now because vine Terry just kicked
this team into the Super Bowl champion. And and I
remember Brady.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
Remember Brady? Remember Brady? Yeah? Remember Brady came in mid
season and we're all thinking like, oh boy, and he
ended up. He ended up. I think I remember my
I remember I can't remember now, oh man, but I
think my dad was alive. I think it was before
nine to eleven that Brady. No, it must have not
have been. No, I think Bledsoe. I think Bledsoe still
(35:03):
had with starting games. And then Brady came in probably
midway through that season. But then he went and he
went and won the Patriots. He won the Patriots the
Super Bowl that year, and what that that was emotional
for me because my dad and I had.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
You had the whole opening ceremonies and you had the
whole honoring the troops. I think Lee Rin would did
God bless the USA. I mean, it was just a whole,
a whole memory that night and then the Patriots.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
It was less than yeah, it was less than six months.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
And the Rams were supposed to win that one.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
That the Rams were supposed to win that with the Rams,
I think we're a huge, a huge favorite ah Man though.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
And now he's the UNC coach. I mean, it's funny
just how life keeps going forward, right so here, I know, Well, Brett,
you mentioned something a little while ago which I want
to touch on before we go, is you feel like
you're not there yet? What would be the ultimate closure?
Like what's next? I mean you're able to assue now,
but where do you go next?
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Well, I mean I think that an acknowledgment by the
Saudi government. And look, we're not looking to change relations
with the Kingdom. I know I'm not. You know, I'm
rational enough to know that we depend on the Saudi
Kingdom to stabilize the world world oil markets. They're big
trading partners with US. They buy a lot of our weapons,
(36:27):
they invest in a lot of American companies. But it's
also important to keep in mind that that NBS, who's
the current day to day ruler, was fifteen years old
at the time. Him and I are the same age.
He had nothing to do with nine to eleven, and
he's done a lot of things to modernize his country,
(36:47):
So it shouldn't be that much of a stretch for
him to take accountability on behalf of his country. You know,
I think it'll be such justice for this community if
MBS could admit, would admit and say, you know what,
twenty five years ago, there were a bunch of bad
actors in our government and we should have done a
better job to weed them out, and we should have
(37:09):
been on them more, and we should have done things differently,
and had we have done things differently, nine to eleven
might not have happened. For Saudi Arabia to admit that,
I think that's the ultimate win.
Speaker 1 (37:22):
Well, we pray we get that, and yes, if it's
a monetary compensation, that would be incredible, But just the
acknowledgement they had a role, because you're right, they have
shirk responsibility. This whole entire twenty four year stretch here.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
That's right. They've denied and pushed back and fought back,
and you know, it's not as if it's not if
it's anything's going to change for them if they if
they admit culpability twenty four years later. It's not as
if we're going to stop buying oil from them, or
our defense industry is going to stop selling them weapons.
It's not like they're gonna lose Trump support anytime soon.
(37:58):
But what it would do is would bring peace and
justice and closure for our community. So you know, I
don't think there's any downside to them doing it, and
it's and it's all the upside. At least they at
least we'd stop slamming them in the media and stop
you know, protesting them and stop fighting them everything that
they tried to do.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
You know, we need to have a lot of clarity
and a lot of uh, you know, we need them
to admit that they were part of it, and not
just rely on the twenty eight pages in the commission.
I mean, I still remember that to this day, twenty
eight pages, and no one is like the element in
the room still brett. It just it boggles my mind.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
But yeah, that.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
That being said, do come back as things progress, and
I do want to say congratulations on this major step.
And dare I say you are having one leg up
for the victims of nine to eleven and for your
dad justice for your dad as well.
Speaker 2 (38:56):
Absolutely, Yeah, thank you for having me, thank you for
staying on the story, and we will definitely come back
and give you updates as updates happen. Hopefully they happen
more quickly than they have been happening. But you know,
I think now between now and next year, between now
and the next year's twenty fifth year anniversary, there's going
to be a lot happening and a lot more attention
(39:17):
on all of this.
Speaker 1 (39:19):
And I didn't want to go there, but I have
to say, they did this really incredible memorial wells and
the selfies that I see outside of it. I know
it's a tourist thing, but do they bother you? I
have to ask that before.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
We rap they do. Yeah, it's one of the reasons
I don't like to go there. It's one of the
reasons I want to stay away. But I don't know.
I don't have a good reason. I don't have a
good answer. I don't have a good solution on how
you stop that. I mean, you see it down in
Washington too, where you know, there's folks, you know, taking
pictures in front of the Ewajima Memorial and the World
(39:55):
War Two Memorial, and it's just you know, I mean,
it's supposed to be a somber place, and eventually you
know that, you know, that's gonna be the same. I mean,
it already has started happening at the World Trade Center site.
You know, we can talk about this, uh some other time,
but you know, you know, one of the other things
(40:16):
here that I think would help that is if the
nine to eleven Memorial were to become like under the
jurisdiction of the federal government. I don't know why the
nine to eleven Memorial would be any different than say
Mount Rushmore or the World War Two Memorial or the
Vietnam Memorial. It almost seems that the nine to eleven
(40:38):
site is a sacred US site. So it's it's odd
to me that it's controlled by an independent board of directors.
It doesn't it doesn't seem like that's the appropriate way
to to to administrate that space, I know.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
And then and then, of course, when they close down
the one on Greenitch Street. It just that was horrible too,
because I felt like they were closing down a piece
of remembering what happened on nine to eleven.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
Yeah, that's right, Well, we can go into that more
and more.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Maybe maybe there could be progress on that. Maybe that
could be an initiative that you and I talk, you know,
try and spear it with somebody. But you're right, it
should be under federal you know, jurisdiction. And it just
it bothers me that they monetize on it. Okay, I'm
just gonna say that, right, it bothers me. Private entities
have come in and monetize on this. I mean they
(41:27):
have a gift shop, a gift shop, Brett.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
I know, yeah, I know. I mean I wish I
had more time to fight that battle as well. But
but right now, I just we're we're laser focused on
accountability from the kingdom, and uh, you know, maybe that's
the day two project that we all kind of put
our put our thinking caps on and figure out a
way to make that better. But I'll happily take your
(41:54):
help up on that if that's something you want to go.
Speaker 1 (41:56):
Yeah, because I'm reading now the CEO of nine eleven
Memorial Museum defends blow Did salaries. I mean, this is ridiculous.
I just say, yeah, it's it's outrageous. But you and
I could stop this, maybe get connected with other leaders
and you know, see what we can do, because you're right,
this should be fedilized, not privatize.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
It's it's time absolutely.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Bredwick eagleson, Prison of nine to eleven Justice for Families,
Thank you so much, and I do want to have
you back as things progress for the families and justice prevails.
I guess you would.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
Say thank you. I appreciate that. All right.
Speaker 1 (42:31):
I'm Alex Garrett and there has been one leg up
with Alex Garrett and Brett eagleson
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