Bronx Councilman and congressional candidate Ritchie Torres was called 'First Class Whore' by the union head of New York Police Department after he demanded an investigation into a possible NYPD work slowdown. Torres, an openly gay Democrat, comments came in wake of rising gun violence in the city.
Reportedly, as compared to last year, NYC has reported an increased 400 incidents of shooting with over 500 victims. The scathing comment on the Democrat drew widespread criticism of the NYPD Union.
Torres Terms SBA 'Hate Group'
In a tweet posted, Torres while demanding an independent inquiry into the police work slowdown, said: "The summertime surge in shootings has all but doubled in NYC. Fewer gun arrests, fewer gun cases solved, slower response times to gun violence: are these signs of an @NYPDnews slowdown? @BKBoroHall & I are calling for an independent investigation to answer that very question."
Enraged over Torres' remarks, Ed Mullin, President of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, tweeted: "He we go America this is what a first class whore looks like RITCHIE TORRES. Passes laws to defund police, supports criminals, & now because he's running for office he blames the police to protect what he voted for. Remember Little Ritchie? Meet LYING RITCHIE @RitchieTorres." Accompanying the tweet was a photograph of Torres being arrested during a rally against the Trump administration's plans to cut Housing and Urban Development funding, in 2017.
Reacting to the term used for him, Torres, while calling Mullin a homophobic, tweeted: "The @SBA is a bona fide hate group masquerading as a union. The racism, misogyny, and homophobia of Ed Mullins gives @realDonaldTrump a run for his money."
Twitter Backs Torres Against Homophobic Abuse
In his defense, Mullins, while speaking to Daily News said that police reform agenda implemented by Torres and other elected officials' has led to an increased crime in the city. "You don't have to like my style — the facts are the facts. Every time something doesn't go their way, they point to homophobia, racism, sexism. This is the defense that's always used when an elected official is caught red-handed," he told the outlet.
The abusive rant by Mullin was enough to make the netizens spring to Torres defence. In a tweet Bill Neidhardt, spokesman of NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio's, wrote: " "What. The. F–k! Disagree with Torres all you want on policy. This is an insane and homophobic response from Mullins and SBA. How could anyone take this union seriously."
The @SBANYPD, one of America's most shameless police unions, is at it again - this time, calling a man who questions whether the NYPD is following its contract a "first class whore," wrote a user.
"If this is the way a police union talks about an elected official almost certainly headed for Congress in January, how do its gun-carrying members treat New Yorkers?" expressed another.
