MacArthur Under Fire for Lobbying for Money on 9/11 Anniversary: Report [UPDATE]

Rep. Thomas MacArthur (R-3rd) is among four officials, including another congressman and two officials with the 9/11 Memorial Fund, who are under fire after they testified during a sub-committee hearing on the 14th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the New York Post reports.

Family members of the victims claim the hearing was timed to gain “maximum sympathy” as they request $25 million a year in federal funding for the National 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center Act, according to the report.

The hearing didn’t pause during any of the designated moments of silence between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., according to the report.

The Capitol as a whole recognized a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m.

The father of a firefighter who died on Sept. 11, 2001, said the fund has been turned into a “revenue-generating tourist attraction,” according to nj.com.

The group is also unhappy about the museum’s $24 admission charge, according to the report.

MacArthur’s office touted the importance of the funding and the act Monday morning.

“The National 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center Act would provide the necessary security and operation funds to ensure that the memorial remains secure, free, and open to the public,” Katie Pudwill, MacArthur’s Communications Director, said in a statement. “To date, the memorial has survived strictly on private donations and this bill will solidify its place in history with national recognition to assist with security costs.”