Press Releases

Today, Congressman Mike Lawler released the following statement after news broke that Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III revoked the plea deal offered to Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and his co-conspirators. This decision puts the death penalty back on the table and comes just hours after Congressman Lawler led a bipartisan letter of New York colleagues which excoriated the Biden-Harris Administration for the plea deal.

“I am glad to hear that Defense Secretary Austin has put the death penalty for Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and his co-conspirators back on the table,” said Congressman Lawler (NY-17). “Just hours earlier, I had sent a bipartisan letter from the New York Congressional Delegation slamming the Biden-Harris Administration for caving and offering a shameful plea deal that spared these terrorist scumbags the justice they deserve.”

“It is my sincere hope that our 9/11 victims and families receive the justice they deserve, and I’m thankful that Secretary Austin saw reason here,” concluded Congressman Lawler (NY-17). “Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and his co-conspirators murdered almost 3,000 people on September 11th - they should face the death penalty at a trial.”

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the 118th Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.