Should we take Speaker Bonnen to court?
August 1, 2019,
In an unprecedented abuse of power, Speaker Dennis Bonnen attempted to silence pro-gun Texans in what can only be described as a media charade.
I went under fire in the national, state, and local media — all because I dared to defend your Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.
Bonnen’s clear goal was to shut down your Texas Gun Rights, ending the public debate for Constitutional Carry.
In doing so, my attorneys believe Bonnen may have acted illegally, and that I have a good case for taking legal action against him…
But if I file suit without the resources needed for legal fees, I will be putting TXGR’s critical upcoming election year programs at risk.
That’s why I need you to sign your Legal Directive to tell me how I should proceed.
TXGR knows the most effective means of pressuring weak-kneed politicians is by contacting their constituents and having them directly lobby their elected officials.
That’s exactly what we did with Texas Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen.
I personally canvassed several neighborhoods Bonnen represents with flyers detailing his actions in blocking Constitutional Carry legislation.
I politely handed these fliers out at the homes of his top donors, neighbors, other local officials, and TXGR members.
This was piled on top of thousands of pieces of direct mail I sent to his constituents, and targeted social media ads deployed to over half-a-million Texans across the state — all encouraging Bonnen to advance the Constitutional Carry bill, a top legislative priority for the Republican Party of Texas.
But Bonnen believes he is part of a protected class; a part of the political elite who should not be held accountable for his actions.
So when faced with scores of phone calls from pro-gun constituents urging him to act, he EXPOLODED with a public temper tantrum in the media — and I was his target.
In the Houston Chronicle, he twisted my use of the same door-to-door tactics he employs every two years to get elected as somehow intimidating and threatening behavior toward legislators.
Bodycam footage of my interaction with DPS officers — deployed to intercept me while canvassing neighborhoods — confirm I was nothing less than professional.
When that lie didn’t stick, Bonnen went to public radio to declare that I “flashed” a firearm to intimidate legislative staffers.
Travel records from a commercial airline prove I was unarmed during my trip — even though it would have been perfectly legal for me to carry.
After Bonnen verbally assaulted me at a fundraiser dinner in Austin, embarrassing himself in front of top GOP donors, he whined to the media he was “set-up.”
Sadly, the anti-gun media bought his story — and why wouldn’t they?
The media loves to call gun rights supporters like you and me “crazy.” They just want us to go away.
And after Speaker Bonnen effectively handed control of the Texas House to Democrats to ensure bills like Constitutional Carry get killed, his media allies were eager to give him cover!
The truth is, Dennis Bonnen did everything in his power to deflect attention away from the fact he sentenced the Constitutional Carry bill to death this year.
And in his attempt to distract from his anti-gun actions, Bonnen launched a fake-news media charade against me.
I stood toe-to-toe with the third most powerful politician in the State of Texas earlier this year — and refused to back down.
But if we don’t act soon — to hold Speaker Dennis Bonnen accountable for his repugnant actions — a chilling precedent could be set for pro-gun activists in the state of Texas.
And our freedom of speech hangs in the balance.
When I spoke with my chief legal counsel, David Warrington, he told me that “Texas politicians should not have free reign to defame private citizens and stifle their free speech for exposing their political agenda.”
So for the past three months, my legal team feverishly collected evidence and sworn affidavits, building a strong case against Speaker Bonnen.
And they believe we have a strong case against Bonnen if we decide to file suit.
But they also informed me that a lawsuit could cost upwards of $100,000 — money Texas Gun Rights simply doesn’t have sitting around in a legal fund.
That’s why your Legal Directive is absolutely critical for making my decision.
Your LEGAL DIRECTIVE will answer the following questions:
Option #1: Should I halt all 2020 election year efforts to pursue legal action against Speaker Dennis Bonnen?
If I do so, I’d be handing Michael Bloomberg and Nancy Pelosi a free pass to continue dumping money into the Lone Star State with little opposition.
Option #2: Should I abandon all legal action to ensure we implement our critical 2020 election programs?
Doing this essentially gives Speaker Bonnen a free pass for his libelous actions and could lead to future harassment, intimidation, and the stifled speech of Second Amendment activists.
Option #3: Should I stand my ground by continuing with our 2020 election year programs AND pursue legal action against Speaker Bonnen?
Even though this option could cost TXGR an extra $100,000, Speaker Bonnen MUST not be allowed to slander pro-gun Texans, and we must continue holding ALL politicians and candidates accountable for their anti-gun actions!
As you can see, the first two options come with considerable risks and Option #3 costs a lot of money. Money that we quite frankly don’t have.
For Texas and Liberty,
Chris McNutt
Executive Director
Texas Gun Rights
