By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Nearly two years after parting ways with high-profile Dallas attorney William Brewer and his firm, Brewer Attorneys & Counselors, the National Rifle Association—in an Oct. 30 court filing in Dallas County District Court—is now demanding that the law firm repay a reported $200 million in legal fees, plus damages.
The NRA is seeking arbitration with Brewer before JAMS—formerly known as Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc.—in Dallas.
The Texas Lawbook is reporting that the NRA alleges Brewer and his firm “breached their professional and fiduciary duties in representing the Virginia-based gun advocacy organization over a six-year span.”
Yahoo News is reporting the NRA is claiming the Brewer firm caused the gun rights organization “catastrophic financial and reputational harm.”
One result has been that NRA’s political involvement has diminished in terms of money spent to promote pro-rights candidates for legislative and congressional office. In an Oct. 29 TGM report quoting an article in The Trace—the NRA’s reduced political spending was highlighted against money spent by anti-gunners. “The biggest spender is Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety, which has so far pumped $14.7 million into the effort to elect anti-gunners, followed by Giffords, which has spent $7.2 million, according to The Trace report.
“By contrast, The Trace says the National Rifle Association has ‘steadily retreated from political spending amid years of internal turmoil and litigation over its finances and alleged self-dealing,’ the result of which has the organization spending a comparably pitiful $1.8 million. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has spent $200,000 and the National Association for Gun Rights has spent $36,000.”
Over the course of about six years, NRA went through a major upheaval which included a lawsuit against NRA by New York Attorney General Letitia James, and the retirement/resignation of longtime NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre. The association also ended its long-term relationship with the public relations firm Ackerman McQueen, which also resulted in costly litigation. In the 19 months since then, a number of NRA “reform” candidates have run for election to the 76-person Board of Directors, and the NRA and NRA Foundation have split, with the Foundation changing its name to the 1791 Foundation, which also has developed legal troubles with NRA.
So far, Brewer has reportedly not responded to media inquiries.
