Judge: NYPD Union Leader Can Stand Trial Over Offensive Posts

NEW YORK CITY — A judge ruled Thursday that an NYPD union leader who is facing up to a two-month discipline over offensive social media posts can stand trial, the New York Post reported.

Sgt. Ed Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, is facing three internal charges after calling then-congressional candidate Ritchie Torres a "first-class w----" and health commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot a "b----" on the Association's official Twitter account.

Mullins was charged with two counts of offensive language and one for abuse of authority, the Post reported. He sued to stop the process, arguing that his speech was protected by the First Amendment and that he was speaking "in his capacity as an SBA president on a union platform."

However, Judge Vernon Broderick sided with the city, which argued that Mullins must obey the patrol guide, even when acting in his role as union head, according to the Post.

The New York Post's full report can be found here.