October 6, 2021

For a while now, I've been saying that the only hope we have for cleaning up police departments is to start with federal investigations into police unions. Traditionally, the root of their corrupt power is their sizeable pension funds, and the abuse thereof. You don't bring the feds in to raid a union chief unless there's a federal crime, and misuse of pension funds seems like the most likely reason. I guess we'll find out. Via New York magazine:

Ed Mullins, the controversial head of one of the largest cop unions in New York City and a bitter foe of police reform, resigned from his position as Sergeants Benevolent Association president following early-morning FBI raids on his office and home on Tuesday.

Federal agents hit the Manhattan headquarters of the Sergeants Benevolent Association and Mullins’s home on Long Island, according to the New York Post, in what the FBI said was part of an “ongoing investigation” that the Post said involves accusations of mail and wire fraud. Agents seized “computer gear” from his residence, per the Post, and were seen carting off boxes of documents from SBA headquarters. The SBA did not respond to a request for comment.

Mullins, who is your classic racist and Grade A a**hole, has been interviewed by Fox with his Qanon coffee mug (nudge nudge, wink wink!). He also traveled to the White House to meet with his hero Trump.

One journalist comment I saw on Twitter last night was that the feds carried out boxes of body armor -- but the vests were green, not the NYPD regulation navy blue. Hmm.

Also, the public corruption unit was involved in the raid.

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