NEW YORK (WPIX) – A former New York Police officer claims he was booted from the department for his right-wing political views and his interpersonal relationships with former Donald Trump advisor Roger Stone and “Manhattan Madam” Kristin Davis.
According to a lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, Salvatore Greco was at the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and was filmed palling around with Stone and Davis, who was convicted of prostitution at a Washington. D.C. hotel in the 2000s but was never accused of doing anything illegal or violent at the insurrection.
Greco is suing the NYPD, claiming the department and Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell violated his First Amendment rights when they terminated him for supporting ‘Making America Great Again’ ideals. He acknowledged he has “familial” and “political” ties to Stone and Davis, and also supports extremist groups the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, the suit said.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Greco’s case is not unusual in that the department has been engaging in these sorts of ‘political viewpoint’ hit jobs for more than forty (40) years. With these legal claims, Mr. Greco intends to shed light on the institutional problem and hold the city and the other defendants accountable for these actions,” said lawyer Eric Sanders in a statement.
In January 2021, the suit alleges Internal Affairs received an anonymous letter saying Greco and another cop attended the riots at Capitol Hill and “these officers want to have a civil war in America.” The Bureau launched an investigation and reviewed Greco’s phone, social media, and other personal accounts and eventually filed departmental charges in April, according to the filing.
The NYPD accused the former cop of “wrongfully and knowingly associating with persons, Roger Jason Stone, Jr., and Kristin M. Davis, reasonably believed to be engaged in, likely to engage in, or to have engaged in criminal activities,” the suit said.
Greco was found guilty in June and fired in early August. He claims the anonymous letter was a political witchhunt, according to court records.
“The action taken against me has cost me my reputation, my job, and my life savings,” Greco said in a statement.”
The lawsuit did not mention a specific amount for monetary damages.
The NYPD declined to comment on the pending litigation, said an NYPD spokesperson.