Taya Kyle sends cease and desist letter to political candidate
The back and forth between Taya Kyle, wife of the late “American Sniper” Chris Kyle and
State Representative candidate, Bo French continues.
This week, Kyle sent French a cease and desist letter, asking him to stop violating a 2014 agreement. She said in the agreement, he agreed to refrain from using Chris Kyle’s name, likeness, logo and image.
Friday, Kyle released a statement indicating French, a former business partner of Chris Kyle’s, had a representative write back, saying he wasn't using it.
In the statement, Kyle references campaign literature, his campaign website, his LinkedIn account to show that he is.
This week, French did change his campaign website to indicate that he only raised money for the memorial fund.
He is running against incumbent, Charlie Geren of Fort Worth.
Kyle’s full statement;
In a written settlement agreement signed by Bo French (and others) on November 11, 2014, Bo French agreed to not use my husband, Chris Kyle's, name, likeness, logo or image in the future. Bo broke this promise several times during his campaign.
Earlier this week I sent a cease and desist letter to Bo asking him to confirm by noon today that he would stop violating the agreement.
Just before the noon deadline, Bo's representative sent a letter stating Bo could not find any misuse of Chris's name in the campaign materials. In an effort to help Bo and the public, especially considering these campaign mailers are still being handed out today, we have provided the following examples of Bo misusing Chris's name and logo. Bo's denial of his misuse is consistent with a statement Bo made to the press yesterday:
"I have addressed [Taya's] concerns by reviewing all the literature which we are currently using and Chris's name is not on any of those materials or mentioned on our campaign website."
1. Bo's Use of Chris's Name in Campaign Literature
Bo's statement to the press about not using Chris's name in campaign literature is false. In mass mailers sent by Bo's campaign over the last two weeks, Bo used Chris's name no less than SIX times (see portions, below). As I prepare this statement, Bo French continues to show his lack of integrity and leadership with his campaign staff and volunteers. Bo's campaign staffers and volunteers are handing out these same campaign mailers right outside of the Eagle Mountain Saginaw ISD early district polling station (two days after Bo received my request that he cease and desist that very act).
2. Bo's Use of Chris's Name on Bo's Campaign Website
Since at least February 20 and until just recently, Bo's campaign website did use Chris's name when it referred to the "Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit" in defending claims made by his opponent. See phone screen shot of a portion of Bo's campaign website on 2/20.
Sometime this week the reference to Chris Kyle's name was removed from Bo's campaign website and only the words "Memorial Benefit" remained in the language of that paragraph. (see link to Bo's campaign's edited webpage where the reference to "Chris Kyle" was removed:
http://bofrench.com/my--‐response--‐to--‐the--‐disgusting--‐false--‐attacks--‐from--‐my--‐opponent/)
It is dishonest for Bo to tell the press that he addressed my claims and found NO use of Chris's name on his campaign website.
3. Bo Continues to Misrepresent the End to My Lawsuit Against Him
Bo keeps stating in writing and in interviews that I "dropped" the lawsuit and stating (or implying) that the lawsuit had no merit. The reason the lawsuit was dismissed by me was the fact that we reached a mutual settlement. A mutual settlement which included Bo and others shutting down two companies. The same mutual settlement Bo is now breaching by making reference to Chris's name.
4. Bo's Use of Chris's Logo on Bo's LinkedIn Account
Bo also agreed not to use Chris's company's logo. Bo has and continues to use the logo even today as I write this statement. This is yet another violation by Bo of the settlement agreement he signed.
Bo abusing the name of my late husband, a beloved Son of Texas, and a hero to a nation, in an attempt to manipulate voters is despicable.
Bo French: Honor your agreements. Stop purporting to have a friendship with my husband, Chris Kyle, who, conveniently for you, is no longer here to deny your statements.
Run on your own record, Bo, not on Chris Kyle's.