WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) on March 16 joined the New York Republican delegation in calling for SUNY Brockport to rescind its invitation to Jalil Muntaqim, also known as Anthony Bottom, to deliver a speech to students entitled, “History of Black Resistance, U.S. Political Prisoners & Genocide: A Conversation with Jalil Muntaqim.”

“As members of Congress representing thousands of brave police officers throughout New York State – we find it unsettling that a taxpayer funded College would believe it is acceptable to give a platform to an individual who was convicted of murdering two law enforcement officers, Joseph Piagentini and Waverly Jones, in cold blood, especially at a time when violent murders and ambushes of police have skyrocketed in this nation,” the lawmakers wrote.

Jalil Muntaqim was convicted of the 1971 murders of NYPD Officers Joseph Piagentini and Waverly Jones. Muntaqim, along with another individual, lured the patrolmen into public housing using a phony 911 call where they ambushed and murdered them.

“We urge SUNY Brockport to withdraw its invitation to Jalil Muntaqim immediately and to apologize to the families of Joseph Piagentini and Waverly Jones as well as every law enforcement officer in our state,” the lawmakers concluded.

Malliotakis added: “Anthony Bottom and his accomplices assassinated not one, but two police officers— NYPD Patrolmen Waverly Jones and Joseph Piagentini. He should not be out of jail, let alone speaking at a college. He is a convicted cop-killer, not a political prisoner. Governor Hochul must condemn this decision by a state university and SUNY Brockport should rescind his invitation.”

In 2019, Malliotakis was a State Assemblymember who joined colleagues, police unions, and the family of Piagentini to successfully push the state parole board to reject Bottom’s parole application. However, he appealed and the board reversed its decision the following year.

The full text of the letter is available online: https://adobe.ly/3tjhbBq.