FDNY commish Laura Kavanagh prohibits firefighters from ‘political expression’ — critics charge she’s silencing Trump supporters

New York Post ^ | June 29, 2024, | Susan Edelman

[george76]

The FDNY ordered firefighters and medics this week to hose down “political expression” on the job — a move some critics claim was done to muzzle supporters of Donald Trump.

...

The FDNY under Kavanagh — a longtime political operative who began her career working for Barack Obama and other Dems — has a track record of trying to silence rank-and-file members who express conservative views, critics charge.

“Once again, we’re seeing blatant overreach by the FDNY – overreach that is no doubt meant to silence supporters of the Republican party,” fumed City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens), who chairs the fire and emergency management committee.

“We saw it with the Tish James fiasco back in March, and now, two days before the presidential debate, we saw it again. This city has a serious problem – we are letting violent [anti-Israel] protests slide while cracking down on free speech.”

In March, Kavanagh was openly dismayed after firefighters and other staffers booed Attorney General Letitia James, a fellow Dem, while chanting “Trump!” during an FDNY promotion ceremony.

...

After The Post reported that Kavanagh and the FDNY’s Bureau of Investigations and Trials planned to “hunt down” the hecklers if they didn’t turn themselves in, Chief of Department John Hodgens took the fall, claiming he wrongly used the term “hunt down”

[ifinnegan]

Ain’t they got a Union?

[george76]

Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh named a pastor with no clinical experience to run the FDNY’s counseling services .. NYC’s first female, openly gay FDNY chaplain awarded huge promotion with $160K pay ..

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4241552/posts

[Yogafist]

I don’t actually disagree with this. I don’t believe public servants should be expressing political opinions when they’re serving the public. But at the same time, if this political expression is not acceptable, why are homosexuals permitted to March in homosexual parades?

[Political Junkie Too]

Does this mean she's banning FDNY firefighters from supporting Tunnels To Towers, too?

-PJ

[george76]

Did Laura Kavanagh ever fight a fire?

Prior to her career at the FDNY she was a Special Assistant to Mayor Bill de Blasio, and, during the 2012 United States presidential election, served as Deputy Director in Pennsylvania on Barack Obama’s reelection campaign. Unlike her predecessor Mr. Nigro, she did not come up through the ranks as a firefighter..

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4104349/posts?page=12#12

[know.your.why]

Hope Laura Kavanagh’s house doesnt catch fire.

[NFHale]

Tell her to GFHerself and do it anyway.

[RckyRaCoCo]

More gag orders from You Cork

[Candor7]

Laura Kavanaugh , like Obama and all of his followers have abandoned the Constitution and its Freedoms.

We are to SUBMIT to them as if we were Muslims submitting to the false "god" , Allah.Its an Obama thing you see. Obama is the mesiah.

But the 1st amendment allows for speech such as this as long as it does not interfere with the execution of employment duties.

A private employer could suppress speeach to a certain extent, but not in a public funded service such as a fire department .

These firemen and women should be able to speak their minds on politcal issues, because thay put their lives on the line in their service, and political decisions impact the degree of risk they must undertake in execution of their duties.

Many fire fighters refused to take the jab, because it was experimental. They were right, and spoke out about it and were wrongly suppressed in their speech.

Kavanaugh, an Obama fascist must go. She needs to resign for her failed fascist policies and the continual suppression of fundamental freedoms of her employees.

The is to allow these fascists to dump us all down the rabbit hole of totalitarianism when we are supposed to live in freedom:

[Paladin2]

March her out to the top of a big extended ladder truck and make her jump off into the local bay.

[thegagline]

Laura Kavanagh has donated money to Biden and Bill De Blasio. Hence, she has donated to both the worst president of all time and the worst mayor of all time.
At least she is consistent.

[BatGuano]

The pay alone is sickening.
$160,000? What, “counseling services, “ could be worth that salary?
The gay crap does not fit with the office of CHAPLAIN!
An abomination assuming a religious post?
To me this looks like a kick in the nuts from the Fire Commissioner.

[butlerweave]

Political Hack

[Chad C. Mulligan]

Nobody, but nobody, who is on a public payroll should be active politically. That includes welfare workers, teachers, garbage collectors, tax collectors, license bureau clerks, courthouse functionaries, health inspectors...everybody. They shouldn’t even be allowed to vote.

There was a reason why residents of the new national capital (Washington DC) wisely weren’t given representation in Congress.

[mass55th]

"I don’t actually disagree with this. I don’t believe public servants should be expressing political opinions when they’re serving the public."

The Hatch Act, a Federal law allows people to talk about politics on the job. I'm assuming that NY City has similar guidelines regarding this. The only guidelines I was able to find regarding NY City employees, as related to political activities dealt only with employees running for political office.

Here's the do's and don'ts according to the Hatch Act:

Permitted and Prohibited Activities for Most Federal Employees

[sheik yerbouty]

A communist and devout vagitarian..

[midwest_hiker]

“Hunt Down” like with Blood Hounds. Now that would be a political mess.

[The Louiswu]

Force her hand, call her bluff, refuse as a group and see what she can do about it. She can’t fight fires by herself.

[bgill]

Depends. They shouldn’t be political on the job, including her. However, outside of rioting and destroying property during a political event, then let them go to rallies and put a sign in their front yard. Is she going to stop them from voting?