9/11 family group decries banning politicians from commemoration 9/11 Memorial officials are barring politicians from speaking at this year's N.Y. ceremony A group representing about 50 families objects to the decision Other family members of victims support the move Family members will read the names of lost loved ones during the commemoration New York (CNN) -- A small group of 9/11 victims' families is contesting the 9/11 memorial's decision to bar politicians from speaking at this year's commemoration ceremony on the anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks. The group, led by retired Fire Department of New York Deputy Chief Jim Riches, called the National September 11 Memorial and Museum "totally hypocritical because banning the governors (of New York and New Jersey) from speaking is the ultimate political decision." "No one individual or group should unilaterally make this decision not allowing Gov. (Andrew) Cuomo and Gov. (Chris) Christie to speak on 9/11," it added. But the statements didn't seem to reflect the general opinion of most family members. They speak for themselves, and certainly not for me. And not for any of the family members I've spoken to," Charles Wolf, who lost his wife in the attacks, said in response to the family group's statements. Riches, who lost his son on 9/11, said his group represents about 50 families. Another 9/11 victim's family member, Debra Burlingame, said, "Families never wanted the deaths of 3,000 people politicized. I doubt very seriously that these few people out of thousands will get support for what they're saying. Officials representing the memorial declined to comment Monday. Joe Daniels, president of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, said last week the foundation "is focused on honoring the victims and their families in a way free of politics, and this ensures that continues." "Ground zero" has a history of politicians speaking at anniversary ceremonies, with speakers such as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former President George W. Bush and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Christie and Cuomo are among politicians who are honorary trustees. "The decision is the memorial's to make and we are supportive of it," said Cuomo's spokesman, Josh Vlato. Those people were individuals who had individual lives," said Wolf, whose wife, Katherine, was working at the World Trade Center that day. More than 3 million people have visited the memorial since its opening on September 11 of last year.