Ex-NYPD sergeants’ union boss Ed Mullins testified Monday that he called city officials a “bitch” and a “first class whore” on Twitter because they put his officers in “harm’s way.”
Mullins — who is the subject of a federal investigation into alleged misuse of union finances — took the stand in his administrative trial over the fiery postings last year.
“The men and women of the NYPD were in harm’s way,” testified Mullins, explaining why he called then-city Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot a “bitch” for saying she didn’t give “two rats’ asses” about cops getting masks during the height of the pandemic.
“We lost quite a few people from COVID, and the health commissioner refused to give them any kind of personal protection equipment,” Mullins said.
The bombastic ex-Sergeants Benevolent Association chief, who resigned earlier this month in light of the federal probe, also tweeted that Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx) — then a city councilman — was a “first class whore” for implying that cops were purposely conducting a work slowdown during the health crisis.
“Councilman Torres was blaming members of the NYPD for the increase in shootings in the city,” Mullins testified Monday, referring to Torres’ call for an investigation into the alleged slowdown.
“Police officers across the city were being assaulted, pelted with bottles, rocks, Molotov cocktails,” Mullins continued. “And those comments made by both the councilman and Dr. Barbot had a direct impact to the men and women of the NYPD and to not come out and say anything would have been irresponsible of me.”
He also accused Torres of making the remarks to help him get elected to higher office. At the time, Torres, who is gay, called Mullins’ tweet about him homophobic.
“He was basically using the men and women of the NYPD to get elected,” Mullins said.
Civilian Complaint Review Board lawyer Jon Fogel called for Mullins, who faces two internal charges over alleged patrol guide violations for the Barbot and Torres tweets, to be fired, arguing that he was a member of the NYPD and bound by the department rules that require cops to be courteous. The CCRB is the NYPD’s independent review watchdog.
Mullins’ attorney, Hugo Ortega, asked trial commissioner Jeffrey Adler to dismiss the charges and argued that Mullins’ status as a union president excluded him from normal police officer rules regarding behavior.
Adler will eventually make a recommendation to Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, who will decide Mullins’ fate with the department.
The loudmouth former union rep also faces an additional internal charge for tweeting the arrest paperwork for Mayor Bill de Blasio’s daughter, Chiara de Blasio, after she was arrested in Lower Manhattan during the protests last summer. That trial was postponed last month.
Meanwhile, Mullins has also sued the NYPD, claiming it was trying to muzzle him.
Mullins quit as head of the SBA after FBI agents raided its offices in Lower Manhattan and seized computers from his Port Washington, Long Island, home earlier this month amid allegations of theft of union funds.
High-ranking law enforcement officials told The Post the feds are investigating the possible misappropriation of union funds and seeking evidence of mail and wire fraud.
