Top New York Democrats were told they couldn’t speak at Saturday’s funeral of slain police officer Jonathan Diller.
According to Fox News, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James tried to get invitations to speak at the funeral but were rejected.
“I have now learned tonight from a source that Kathy Hochul, the governor, asked to speak at tomorrow’s funeral at St. Rose [of Lima Church in Massapequa]. So did, hold on to something tight, AG Leticia James. Both were rejected by the family,” Fox host Brian Kilmeade said.
The rejection came after video showed Ms. Hochul arriving at the wake Friday, and against the family’s wishes, forcing her way inside the Massapequa funeral parlor as the Diller family was closing the late cop’s casket.
At that point, the source said, family members gave the governor an earful.
Another family member told her outside the wake that Diller is dead because of laws that should be changed by New York’s Democrat-dominated Legislature, including the 2019 bail reform law.
The legislation abolished the use of cash bail for most misdemeanors and some nonviolent felony charges in the state.
The family member “was going crazy on her,” the source said. “He said, ’We don’t want you here. You’re not wanted here. You have blood on your hands. If you want to do something, change the bail laws.’”
Ms. Hochul’s Long Island press secretary, Gordon Tepper, disputed that she ever asked the Diller family to speak at the funeral.
“Gov. Hochul neither asked to speak at the funeral nor was … rejected by anyone,” Mr. Tepper told The Washington Times. “Gov. Hochul attended the wake yesterday to mourn the loss of Officer Diller, offer her condolences and hear from his family and loved ones who are dealing with unimaginable grief.”
Gary Ginsburg, deputy communications officer for the New York attorney general’s office, also rejected the claim that Ms. James asked to speak at the funeral.
“Attorney General James never requested to speak at the funeral, she attended to offer her respects,” he told The Times.
Other New York leaders who weren’t welcomed at the wake but showed up anyway were New York Mayor Eric Adams and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Diller’s wife, Stephanie, told them that her husband’s “blood is on your hands,” according to Mr. Kilmeade’s source.
Mr. Bragg reportedly remained silent, and Mr. Adams tried to engage with her but decided against it at the last moment when he saw how outnumbered he was and decided to depart.
The Washington Times reached out to Mr. Bragg and Mr. Adams for comment.
Diller, 31, was fatally shot Monday in Queens when conducting a traffic stop.
Both suspects have long arrest records and prison records.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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