NYC Mayor Releases 9/11 Records Suggesting Officials Misled Public on Air Quality

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration released over 170,000 pages of internal records on Tuesday, September 8, suggesting city officials misled people about the safety of the air around Ground Zero after the September 11 terror attacks.

Mamdani stated, "People got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air." The release includes air quality reports, contamination records, and the "Harding memo," an October 2001 document that outlined the potential for tens of thousands of legal claims against the city arising from exposure to toxic air.

Jon Stewart, an advocate for 9/11 first responders, said the memo showed the city buried the truth about the toxic nature of the air for nearly 25 years. More New York City Fire Department members have died of 9/11-related illnesses than the 343 killed in the attacks. The documents were reportedly found in 68 boxes and were not located until 2025 despite multiple Freedom of Information Law requests.

Mamdani announced that hundreds of thousands more documents will be released onto a public portal over the next year. Mayor Mamdani confirmed on Monday, September 7, he would attend the city's annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony on Friday, despite criticism. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani stated it offends me that he's coming and compared Mamdani to 9/11 hijackers. Criticism also stems from Mamdani's chief legal counsel, Ramzi Kassem, who previously represented an al-Qaeda member.