A top Democratic lawmaker has accused Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump of cashing in on the 9/11 terror attacks even as he applauded Hillary Clinton's role as the New York senator in the aftermath of the tragedy.
"Where was Donald Trump in the days, and months, and the years after 9/11? He didn't stand at the pile. He didn't lobby Congress for help. He didn't fight for the first responders. No," Congressman Joe Crowley asked in his address to the Democratic National Convention here.
"He cashed in, collecting USD 150,000 in federal funds intended to help small businesses recover, even though days after the attack, Trump said his properties were not affected," Crowley said.
On the other hand, Hillary, the Democratic presidential nominee sought those funds to help local mom and pop shops get back on their feet, he said.
"Donald Trump saw it as a payday for his empire. It was one of our nation's darkest days, but for Trump, it was just another chance to make a quick buck," he said.
"Hillary has never and will never forget the reality of that day, and that is why she will never give up on making us a better and stronger nation," said Crowley, who is a former Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.
Crowley said Hillary Clinton, as the then Senator from New York understood the pain of the 9/11 families.
"She fought to help our city rebuild, and she delivered. People forget, but the assistance package that was first proposed didn't have a dime, not a dime for New York. Hillary helped turn that around, securing USD 20 billion we need to help get New York going again," he said.
"But she didn't stop there. Hundreds worked on the pile in the days after 9/11. First, they came to find survivors, but eventually searched for remains. They didn't worry about their own health. They were told the air was fine, but it wasn't," he added.
"And when health issues emerged years later, Hillary Clinton was still by their side. She brought families and first responders to Washington. She took them door to door, never letting her colleagues forget the consequences of that terrible day," Crowley said.
"For almost a decade, Hillary never gave up, and she was there with us when the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act was finally passed," he said.
