A group of current and past presidents of the trial lawyers’ association has issued a desperate fundraising plea on behalf of Representative Bruce Braley (D., Iowa), the Democratic nominee for Senate.
“One of our own, Bruce Braley, is in the fight of his life to win the Senate seat currently held by Senator Tom Harkin,” American Association for Justice president Lisa Blue Baron writes in a fundraising appeal signed by past presidents of the organization. “Senator Harry Reid has led the U.S. Senate for the past 7 years. As many of you know, Senator Reid is very proud of his roots as a trial lawyer and has been very protective of the civil justice system . . . Simply put, the path to victory in November must include Iowa and Bruce Braley or Senator Mitch McConnell, the father of national no-fault and a host of other tort reform bills, will wield the gavel. The stakes could not be higher.”
Where to begin. The emphasis on Braley and Reid’s joint background as trial lawyers? Iowa’s importance to Democrats retaining the Senate majority? McConnell’s support for tort reform?
The fundraising pitch, given how the race has been affected by Braley’s implied threat of a lawsuit against a neighbor and his decision to insult Iowa senator Chuck Grassley at a trial-lawyer fundraiser in Texas, would make more sense if it were written as a satire by supporters of Republican Senate nominee Joni Ernst.
If it were a joke, though, they’d have called him Bruce Bailey.
The full appeal is after the jump:
Dear Trial Lawyer Colleague,
One of our own, Bruce Braley, is in the fight of his life to win the Senate seat currently held by Senator Tom Harkin. We are asking you to click here to contribute to this race, this cause, TODAY. There are precious few days left before this critical election and we need everyone in our community to step up now.
As Presidents of the American Association for Justice/ATLA we have all faced critical national elections before. We have seen our share of impossible odds and overwhelming challenges. But never before has an election turned on the race of a former board member, a former President of the Iowa Association for Justice, and a great champion for the rights of your clients.
Senator Harry Reid has led the U.S. Senate for the past 7 years. As many of you know, Senator Reid is very proud of his roots as a trial lawyer and has been very protective of the civil justice system. If Senator Reid loses the majority, these are the top legislative priorities you can expect from the Senate: 1. Loser Pays, 2. Preemption of State Tort Law, 3. Medical Malpractice and Products Liability Restrictions, 4. Class Action Elimination, and 5. Chemical Industry Immunity.
Simply put, the path to victory in November must include Iowa and Bruce Braley or Senator Mitch McConnell, the father of national no-fault and a host of other tort reform bills, will wield the gavel. The stakes could not be higher.
Staggering amounts of corporate money are being spent against Bruce, but he has kept the race tied. And it continues to be the most competitive race in the country. If you have given to some extent already – we ask you to dig even deeper. If you haven’t taken the opportunity to help in this race, please do it now. We owe it to our clients.