Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, today trounced a challenger and won his fifth term as leader of the union representing the city’s 24,000 rank-and-file police officers.
Mr. Lynch—who has led the union since 1999—took 70 percent of the vote against Brian Fusco, a union trustee from the Brooklyn South command. The labor leader gained national attention for attacking Mayor Bill de Blasio over his support for Rev. Al Sharpton and the Black Lives Matter Protests, and for claiming the mayor was among those with “blood on the hands” after the killing of Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos last December.
He thanked his members for their continuing support.
“We are extremely gratified that our members have recognized the hard work and successes that Team Lynch has achieved on their behalf,” Mr. Lynch said in a statement. “A single tenet has and will continue to guide us as we look to the future: do what’s in the best interest our members. These results give our team a mandate to continue that work.”
Mr. Fusco’s slate of candidates included several Bronx union leaders indicted amid scandal in 2011 for fixing traffic tickets for colleagues and family members. The challenger alleged that Mr. Lynch was not aggressive enough in protecting those officers from indictment, or in fighting to improve pension benefits for officers hired after 2009.
Mr. Fusco conceded defeat in a statement on “Strengthen the Shield” ticket’s Facebook page, claiming he and his running mates had raised “critical issues,” and noting that one member of his slate had won a trustee position in the Bronx Command.
“The members have spoken, and we respect their decision. We thank our supporters for their dedication throughout this campaign and we fully support the PBA as it continues its fight for its members’ rights,” Mr. Fusco’s statement said.
The PBA remains mired in contract arbitration with the de Blasio administration, as it has rejected the pattern other public employee unions have agreed to, but Mr. Lynch said earlier this month his relatioship with Mr. de Blasio is now “respectful.”
http://observer.com/2015/06/fiery-police-union-boss-patrick-lynch-crushes-challenge-in-pba-election/