Ed Mullins: Controversial NYPD SBA union boss resigns after FBI raid at office, home
Ed Mullins, the head of the Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), an NYPD union has resigned from his post following an FBI raid. According to reports, the FBI raided the SBA office in Lower Manhattan, as well as Mullins' home in Port Washington on October 5. It's unclear why the raid was conducted, and how Mullins is involved. He submitted his resignation after being asked to step down by the union, a major blow to the under-investigation union head.
The raid is the latest blow to the NYPD, a department already under strain after multiple allegations and complaints have surfaced over the past year. In June, the department faced allegations of rape and sodomy after a lawsuit by former cop Maria Mendez. The SBA itself is no stranger to controversy, having been shamed in April 2020 after posting a video of two men having oral sex on Twitter.
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The surprising raid on the SBA has attracted widespread attention, and even more, after Mullins announced he would step down. The union believes he is the only one being targeted, saying, "We have no reason to believe that any other member of the SBA is involved or targeted in this matter," in a statement. It isn't the first time Mullins has made the news, so we thought it was appropriate to look into him, and why he's being investigated.
Who is Ed Mullins?
A veteran of the NYPD, Mullins has been with the force since 1982. Little is actually known about him, who has maintained a low profile despite the very public investigations into him. An old bio indicates he has worked with the Detective Squad, Special Victims Squad, and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. He is reportedly a native of Greenwich Village, and has three other siblings. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Concordia College, while working full-time as a police officer.
Mullins then went on to receive a master's degree in organizational leadership from Mercy College. Beyond his public service, he has also served as the founder and Chief Executive Officer of a private security firm in Manhattan and has attended a variety of educational workshops in security management, finance, and labor studies. But perhaps Mullins is best known for his role with the SBA, where he has been president since 2002.
Controversially, Mullins served as both an NYPD sergeant and as the union chief, collecting an estimated $220,000 between the two positions in 2020. Mullins also serves in a variety of other roles, including as a volunteer firefighter in Nassau County, and as head coach of the men’s ice hockey team at New York University. While those roles have warranted little attention, his role as union chief has repeatedly come under the scanner.
FBI raid follows disciplinary proceedings
In May 2020, Mullins tweeted NYPD paperwork about the arrest of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s daughter. That led to a department investigation and a subsequent trial that began in September since the tweet contained personally identifiable information. It was however postponed after one of his lawyers suffered a medical emergency. In return, he sued the NYPD, alleging they are trying to "muzzle him" through the investigation. It's unclear when his trial will resume again, but it appears Mullins has more reason to worry. On October 5, FBI agents were seen carrying boxes out of the SBA's office and raiding Mullins' home.
It's unclear as of now why the raids were conducted. FBI spokesperson Martin Feely said agents were "carrying out a law enforcement action in connection with an ongoing investigation." He declined to comment further and appeared to have even caught the SBA off-guard. "The nature and scope of this criminal investigation has yet to be determined. However, it is clear that President Mullins is apparently the target of the federal investigation," the SBA's board said in a message.
Both the union and Mullins have not responded to messages, so it is unclear what exactly happened. Mayor de Blasio meanwhile, has issued a not-so-subtle dig at Mullins, saying, "Ed Mullins dishonored his uniform, his city and his union more times than I can count. It was just a matter of time before his endless hatred would catch up with him. That day has come."
Ed Mullins dishonored his uniform, his city and his union more times than I can count. It was just a matter of time before his endless hatred would catch up with him. That day has come. https://t.co/J03dKk0a1g
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) October 6, 2021
It's not just de Blasio that Mullins has clashed with, he's made a habit out of getting into fights with other city officials. In 2020, he dubbed U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres a "first-class whore" and even insulted former Health Commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot. He's also been slammed for his use of SBA's Twitter account, a powerful megaphone he has wielded controversially over the years.
