In an October 28 article about Republican presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's anti-terrorism credentials, the Associated Press reported that "[s]ome firefighter unions and family members of those killed [in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks] are campaigning against him, distributing an anti-Giuliani video and holding protests outside Giuliani events," later adding, “Giuliani allies say much of the criticism is political, pointing to the firefighters unions' endorsement of Democrats.” But the AP did not note that the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 94 -- listed in the credits as having "cooperat[ed]" and "participat[ed]" in the production of the video criticizing Giuliani's 9-11 record -- endorsed President Bush in 2004, a fact that undermines Giuliani “allies' ” accusations of partisanship. The IAFF itself, which produced the video, issued a press release in July, when the video was launched online, noting that the group has endorsed Republican candidates in other races.

Indeed, responding to the Giuliani campaign's charge that the IAFF's motivation for producing the video was “partisan,” the IAFF issued an “e-mail press release” -- posted on a USA Today blog on July 11 -- which quoted IAFF general president Harold A. Schaitberger as saying that, in 2006, his organization endorsed Republican Govs. Charlie Crist (FL) and Jim Douglas (VT) and that the union “endorses candidates on both sides of the political aisle -- always have and always will.” That year, the IAFF also endorsed then-Reps. Curt Weldon (R-PA) and John Sweeney (R-NY), according to a July 11 ABC News article.

Additionally, Politico senior writer Jonathan Martin challenged the Giuliani campaign's criticism of the IAFF as “partisan” in a July 11 post on his blog, noting that "[n]ot included in [Giuliani's] oppo is any mention of the fact that the IAFF is known as one of the least partisan unions, especially on Capitol Hill. They give thousands to GOP candidates, endorse more than a few and are generally known as the least hostile of labor groups to the Republican cause." Finally, media critic and blogger Greg Sargent noted that “a quick Nexis search confirms that IAFF's largest New York City affiliate, the Uniformed Firefighters Association [IAFF Local 94], actually endorsed Rudy himself both times he ran victoriously for Mayor, in 1997 and 1993, and when he ran and lost in 1989,” as Media Matters has documented.