NYPD Unions Endorse Candidate Who Supports Zadroga Act Extension

Current Richmond County District Attorney Daniel Donovan received some major backing when two New York Police Department unions offered their endorsement for him in the race for the 11^th Congressional District. The special election to fill the vacant seat left by recently resigned Rep. Michael Grimm will take place May 5. Grimm previously plead guilty to one count of felony tax fraud.

The NYPD Lieutenants Benevolent Association and the NYPD Captain Endowments Association called Donovan a “person of integrity and character” and someone that the city can rely upon to honestly help to govern within the city. They also cite a significant decrease in crime in the borough of Staten Island over the last two decades under his watch as the chief law enforcement officer.

One major reason the unions have gotten behind Donovan is his support for renewed funding of the James Zadroga Act. The Zadroga Act provides funding for health care needed by first responders who developed health issues like cancer and PTSD after working at Ground Zero and other sites hit in the September 11 terrorist attacks. The act is named after an NYPD officer who died from respiratory problems developed while working at Ground Zero, and many of the other people who worked at the attack site and later developed health issues were also NYPD officers.

Funding for the act is set to expire in 2016 if Congress does not renew it. Attorney General Donovan has already been quite outspoken about the issue in his campaign, calling it a “disgrace” that there is even a chance that the law will not be renewed.

For more information on the specifics of the Zadroga Act and whether you or a loved one qualifies for a claim, contact the knowledgeable New York attorneys at Barasch, McGarry, Salzman & Penson.