Schumer Urges Feds To Pick Up Terror Trial Costs
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
Security for the upcoming September 11th terror trials could cost hundreds of millions of dollars and Senator Charles Schumer is calling on the feds to pick up the tab.
The New York City Police Department has begun laying out plans to safeguard Manhattan for the trial of five terror suspects, including self-proclaimed mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed.
The price tag isn't yet clear, but experts say the cost could well exceed the original $75 million estimate.
Schumer is asking the Obama administration to include a separate line in the upcoming 2011 budget that devotes funding to cover the full cost to the NYPD and other local law enforcement for providing security during the trials.
"These are federal trials, held in federal courts. Trying men charged of federal crimes related to terrorism. It's only common sense that the federal government, not New York taxpayers, should pay every dime of the costs," Schumer said.
Schumer says without national funds the city would be forced to draw money from other key programs.
The trials could begin as early as this year.