The widow of Herman Badillo, the first Puerto-Rican born congressman who died last Wednesday, slammed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for not attending the funeral on Sunday. Instead, according to the Daily News, the Mayor spent part of Sunday afternoon at the gym, where he was photographed by a Village Voice editor.
“It was insulting before, that makes it disgraceful.”" said the late Puerto Rican congressman's widow to the Daily News when she heard the Mayor was at the gym. “I see where his priorities lie.”
Herman Badillo served four terms in Congress and was also the first Hispanic Bronx borough president, as well as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York. He changed his political affiliation, going from a more liberal Democrat to more conservative Republican, though his funeral was attended by a host of New York City politicians from both parties, including former Democratic Mayor David Dinkins as well as former Republican Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
An aide to Mayor De Blasio, Phil Walzak, said to the Daily News the Mayor "regrets he was unable to attend the funeral services yesterday, and he will be contacting Mrs. Badillo to express the condolences of a New York City grateful for Herman Badillo's extraordinary leadership and service.”
IN-DEPTH:
Herman Badillo, First Puerto Rican Congressman, Dead At 85
Herman Badillo, Congressman and Fixture Of New York Politics, Dies at 85