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 did n'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 . '' In a letter sent to victims ' families Wednesday , Daniels said that the reading of victims ' names by family members will be `` the exclusive focus of the program '' during this year 's ceremony . `` 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 . Mayor Michael Bloomberg is chairman of the memorial foundation 's board of directors . 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 . At last year 's ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks that brought down the twin towers of the World Trade Center , President Barack Obama read a psalm . It 's been a tradition for victims ' family members to lead a solemn reading of the names of their lost ones during commemorations at the memorial site . The reading of the names `` individualizes the masses of people who were killed . Those people were individuals who had individual lives , '' said Wolf , whose wife , Katherine , was working at the World Trade Center that day . But Bloomberg had publicly considered ending the tradition . `` Some people have said change is good , and the subject 's come up a couple times , and I think we 've said the foundation board will talk about this , '' he said during a radio show in August 2011 . His comments brought much heat from some of the victims ' families , who have blamed politicians for delays in construction of the memorial museum . The museum was originally scheduled to open this year , marking the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks , but has been held up because of `` disagreements '' with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey , Bloomberg said in a news conference last year . More than 3 million people have visited the memorial since its opening on September 11 of last year . `` We 're still dealing with this . Eleven years later , and we 're still talking about it , '' Wolf said . The ceremony includes six moments of silence , representing crucial moments during the attacks on the twin towers and the Pentagon , and the crash of United Flight 93 in rural Pennsylvania .
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 . Score: 6