Air Force veteran criticizes Democratic primary winners over past associations

An Air Force veteran and former New York firefighter voiced strong opposition to recent Democratic primary results in New Jersey and New York, pointing to the winners' past statements and associations. Don Arias, whose brother died in the September 11 attacks, criticized Dr.

Adam Hamawy after Hamawy won the Democratic nomination for New Jersey's 12th Congressional District on June 2. Hamawy, a combat veteran and plastic surgeon, previously met with Omar Abdel-Rahman in 1991 and testified in the defense during Abdel-Rahman's trial.

primary results A second Democratic nominee, Aber Kawas, won her party's nomination for New York State Senate District 12. Kawas, the daughter of illegal aliens, made comments in a 2017 podcast describing the September 11 attacks as actions by "a couple of people" and criticizing the expectation of apologies for the attacks.

Arias said Kawas's remarks minimized the attacks. He also said voters lack information about candidates' backgrounds and called on voters to research nominees more thoroughly. Hamawy's campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Kawas declined to answer questions and referred reporters to her X account.