The National Rifle Association has sued, again, its former ad maker and “NRATV” creator, Ackerman McQueen.
In a complaint filed in federal court in Dallas Friday, the gun group demanded that Ackerman McQueen remove references to the NRA from Ackerman’s website.
Beyond that, the suit served as a press release of sorts — yet another stage for the gun group to air its grievances against its longtime vendor in the latest episode of their lengthy fallout.
“The NRA recently concluded, despite years of false reporting from defendants, that NRATV was a failed endeavor under any appropriate performance metric,” the suit says at one point, referring to the video platform and original programming Ackerman ran for its then-client.
Ackerman McQueen, in a statement to TPM, responded in kind.
“In light of its continual ‘shooting itself in the proverbial foot’, one can only conclude that the people who are supposedly running this apparently failing organization did not ever believe in the Constitution in the first place,” the firm said. “The NRA continues to spend its members’ money on useless fights in an obvious attempt to deflect attention from its dwindling influence across the country.”
The NRA has been in turmoil for months, and began feuding with Ackerman after the firm allegedly refused to turn over documents to the NRA that the gun group considered relevant to a probe by New York Attorney General Letitia James — as well as documents regarding an alleged side deal NRA President Oliver North had signed with Ackerman.
The NRA sued Ackerman, and the feud spilled out in a spectacularly public way. NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre claimed North was extorting him, after which North did not serve a second term as NRA president. The group’s top lawyer was then suspended. Then the NRA sued Ackerman again, for damages related to alleged leaking the documents it sought in its first suit, to which Ackerman filed a counterclaim.
After that, the NRA suspended its top lobbyist, Chris Cox, for allegedly taking part in North’s alleged coup attempt against LaPierre. That claim was made in yet another suit, filed in the New York State Supreme Court against North. The firm and advertiser severed ties formally in June.
LaPierre, meanwhile, has faced embarrassing public revelations about expensive suits, private jet rides and aborted plans to buy a mansion with NRA money. And the NRA has faced a bumpy financial road, with leaked documents showing the organization hemorrhaging money in all directions, including to board members.
