Mayor Bloomberg's top deputies went to great lengths to help the developers of a planned mosque near Ground Zero - even drafting a letter to the community board for them, according to an article by Kathleen Lucadamo and Erin Einhorn in today's edition of The New York Daily News.
"A flurry of emails released by City Hall yesterday revealed the coaching Hizzoner's brass gave to the imam pushing to build the mosque, Feisal Abdul Rauf," the article said, adding that "at one point, Community Affairs Commissioner Nazli Parvizi even drafted a letter for Rauf's wife, Daisy Khan, to send to Community Board 1, which was voting on the project."
A Muslim-American, Ms. Parvizi said she also provided the contact information for the board.
The article said that "another email shows that Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Fatima Shama expedited a temporary public assembly permit for the group to conduct prayers in January at the site, known as 51 Park.
"The Community Affairs Unit exists to help groups navigate city government, and from helping prepare for a Papal visit to expediting approval of a Sukkah in a midtown Manhattan park, this kind of assistance is typical of its regular work," said Bloomberg spokesman Stu Loeser.
"But one critic of the mosque charged that the emails prove that backers rigged the public approval process. 'They were in cahoots all along,' steamed Andy Sullivan, a Queens construction worker and vocal mosque critic.
An article by Sally Goldenberg in today's edition of The New York Post said that "dozens of e-mails between Mayor Bloomberg's aides and developers of the proposed mosque near Ground Zero reveal a cordial, if not downright cozy, relationship and the length to which a top city staffer went to help the project."
"Opponents of the plan were furious," the article continued. "The mayor was touting, ironically, government not being involved in religion, and here you have the mayor's staffer assisting in a public-relations campaign on behalf of a mosque and Islamic center,' said Deborah Burlingame, whose brother was a pilot of one of the hijacked plans on 9/11. 'I think this is highly improper,'" the article noted.
An article by Paul Vitello in today's edition of The New York Times said "the iman behind the project has decided to risk re-igniting...opposition by setting out on a nationwide speaking tour next month to promote the planned center and to foster dialogue about Muslim life in America."
"'Controversy has never been a problem for me,' said the iman, Feisal Abdul Rauf, whose proposal to build the high-rise community center and mosque two blocks north of Ground Zero made him the prime target last summer of opponents who viewed the plan, known as park 51 for its address on Park Place, as a Trojan horse for Muslim triumphalism," the article said.
"Because of death threats that the iman has received, none of his addresses will be open to the general public, though the local news media in each place will be invited to attend.
"A flurry of emails released by City Hall yesterday revealed the coaching Hizzoner's brass gave to the imam pushing to build the mosque, Feisal Abdul Rauf," the article said, adding that "at one point, Community Affairs Commissioner Nazli Parvizi even drafted a letter for Rauf's wife, Daisy Khan, to send to Community Board 1, which was voting on the project."
A Muslim-American, Ms. Parvizi said she also provided the contact information for the board.
The article said that "another email shows that Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Fatima Shama expedited a temporary public assembly permit for the group to conduct prayers in January at the site, known as 51 Park.
"The Community Affairs Unit exists to help groups navigate city government, and from helping prepare for a Papal visit to expediting approval of a Sukkah in a midtown Manhattan park, this kind of assistance is typical of its regular work," said Bloomberg spokesman Stu Loeser.
"But one critic of the mosque charged that the emails prove that backers rigged the public approval process. 'They were in cahoots all along,' steamed Andy Sullivan, a Queens construction worker and vocal mosque critic.
An article by Sally Goldenberg in today's edition of The New York Post said that "dozens of e-mails between Mayor Bloomberg's aides and developers of the proposed mosque near Ground Zero reveal a cordial, if not downright cozy, relationship and the length to which a top city staffer went to help the project."
"Opponents of the plan were furious," the article continued. "The mayor was touting, ironically, government not being involved in religion, and here you have the mayor's staffer assisting in a public-relations campaign on behalf of a mosque and Islamic center,' said Deborah Burlingame, whose brother was a pilot of one of the hijacked plans on 9/11. 'I think this is highly improper,'" the article noted.
An article by Paul Vitello in today's edition of The New York Times said "the iman behind the project has decided to risk re-igniting...opposition by setting out on a nationwide speaking tour next month to promote the planned center and to foster dialogue about Muslim life in America."
"'Controversy has never been a problem for me,' said the iman, Feisal Abdul Rauf, whose proposal to build the high-rise community center and mosque two blocks north of Ground Zero made him the prime target last summer of opponents who viewed the plan, known as park 51 for its address on Park Place, as a Trojan horse for Muslim triumphalism," the article said.
"Because of death threats that the iman has received, none of his addresses will be open to the general public, though the local news media in each place will be invited to attend.
Architecture Critic
Carter Horsley
Since 1997, Carter B. Horsley has been the editorial director of CityRealty. He began his journalistic career at The New York Times in 1961 where he spent 26 years as a reporter specializing in real estate & architectural news. In 1987, he became the architecture critic and real estate editor of The New York Post.
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