PBA President Calls For Senior De Blasio Aide To Step Down After Romantic Link To Convicted Murderer
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association says a top aide to New York City's First Lady, Chirlane McCray, should be removed from her position after being romantically tied to a criminal who has lashed out at cops on social media.
As WCBS 880's Monica Miller reported, Rachel Noerdlinger has been romantically linked to Hassaun McFarlan -- a convicted murderer and interstate drug trafficker.
As CBS 2's Tony Aiello reports, he also goes by Hassaun Ackles and has been arrested three times in the past five years, including a 2013 charge for eluding police in Edgewater, N.J., while operating Noerdlinger's vehicle.
DNAInfo.com reports the 36-year-old McFarlan also referred to cops as "pigs" on his Facebook account and nearly ran down a New Jersey police officer last year.
PBA President Pat Lynch wants Noerdlinger to step down.
"Here we have the advisor to the First Lady who used to work with Al Sharpton sitting in on sensitive, police-related meetings. That should not happen," he said.
Lynch points out police officers are not allowed to associate with known criminals.
"Why is that same standard not being held up for staff members who are sitting at the right hand of the policy makers?" he asked.
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton insists no confidential information was divulged at NYPD meetings she has attended and would not comment on Noerdlinger's relationship, 1010 WINS' Kevin Rincon reported.
Michael Hardy of the National Action Network, and longtime friend of Noerdlinger, says the demands for her to step down because of her boyfriend is nonsense.
"You cannot judge her solely by someone else. He's not doing the job, she is," he said. "She is there because she's a person of integrity, she does her job, she does it well."
But a spokeswoman for the de Blasio administration issued a statement Friday, saying Noerdlinger stepping down is not going to happen.
"No one at City Hall condones criminal behavior or disparagement of the NYPD, including Rachel. Rachel is her own person. She is a strong, independent woman who possesses a core set of values and beliefs that align with this administration. She is not going anywhere," Rebecca Katz said in a statement.
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