A Connecticut police officer who belonged to a far-right group accused a civil rights activist Online Cigarettes Store USA who had complained to his department of trying to “silence conservative voices,” according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press.
In his letter, addressed to East Hampton’s police chief, Officer Kevin Wilcox said he was a dues-paying Proud Boys Newport Pleasure member for about eight months. But he said he quit the group because he suspected its members would be attacked by “far-left political organizations” and labeled as bigots due to their “love” for President Donald Trump.
The AP obtained a copy of Wilcox’s July 31 letter in response to a public records request.
The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law called for Wilcox's removal from the police department after inquiring about his social media connections with members of the Proud Boys, a group known for its violent clashes at political rallies.
In September, East Hampton Police Chief Dennis Woessner told the organization that Wilcox's Proud Boys Newport 100s Box membership didn't violate department policies.