Gabbard enlists high-profile law firm with roster of colorful clients in claims against Clinton

Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is being represented by the law firm Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht in her claims that Hillary Clinton defamed her by making comments about Russian support for Gabbard’s presidential bid.

The Los Angeles firm has represented a number of colorful political figures, according to The National Law Journal. Rudy Giuliani said earlier this month that he is being represented by the firm amid allegations that he played a key role in President Donald Trump’s Ukraine scandal. The firm has also represented Michael Avenatti, an attorney and Trump nemesis who was indicted this year for financial crimes; and George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign aid who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

Gabbard released a copy of a letter today that Brian Dunne, an attorney with the firm, sent to Clinton on Nov. 11 demanding that the former secretary of state issue a retraction drawn up by the firm in which she apologies for her comments and praises Gabbard’s public service.

While Gabbard released the contents of the letter to the media yesterday, she didn’t identify her legal counsel.

Pierce Bainbridge is also representing Gabbard in her lawsuit against Google. Gabbard alleged in July that the tech giant had suspended her Google ads account for several hours following the first presidential debate in retaliation for her advocacy in favor of breaking up big tech companies like Google. Gabbard claims that the brief suspension irreparably harmed her presidential bid.

Google said the suspension was triggered by automated systems that flag unusual activity on advertiser accounts, including large spending changes that are meant to prevent fraud and protect customers. Google is asking that the lawsuit be dismissed and a hearing date is set for Jan. 27.

Gabbard’s presidential campaign has been notably litigious. In addition to the lawsuit against Google and allegations of defamation against Clinton, the religious organization that Gabbard has been affiliated with, the Science of Identity Foundation, has threatened to sue the media.

While the Honolulu Star-Advertiser was reporting on a story this year about Gabbard’s religious background and how it informed her political views, the local religious organization headed by Chris Butler threatened to sue the newspaper hiring Anthony Glassman, an attorney in Beverly Hills, Calif. The Science of Identity Foundation also threatened to sue New York Magazine over content about the organization that was included in a June profile of Gabbard.