Unmasking Bill Graham: A Distorted Image and Real Threat to North Carolina Agriculture

You may have seen that trial lawyer Bill Graham is running for governor – and running campaign ads. 

We generally don’t get involved in this stage of the election process when each party is sorting out its candidates for the main ticket next year.

But when a candidate speaks about agriculture, we pay attention.

And when a candidate speaks in a way that is divorced from reality, we must work to set the record straight. We can’t afford not to. 

And we will.

In the most recent round of ads, the trial lawyer Bill Graham isn’t shown in a courtroom, where his firm’s work pummeled a family farmer out of business. 

He’s not shown in a conference room, signing up clients who answered the call in an effort to win money… 

No, the trial lawyer running for governor is presenting himself outdoors, in a rural setting, and casting himself as a friend and protector of the farmer.

Don’t be fooled.

The Graham law firm attacked our pork producers. 

This is the firm that maneuvered a lawsuit against hog farms into a federal court in Raleigh – away from our farms and fields, away from juries of our peers.

The firm that fought efforts to have jurors visit our farms.

This is the firm that told fantastic tales about North Carolina agriculture in the courtroom.

The firm that took down family farmer Joey Carter. (I’d encourage you to watch the film “Hog Farmer” on Amazon Prime to see what really happened.)

This is the firm that fought in the legislature against our right to farm – to protect their lawsuits against us.

We who care about agriculture and its future in our state must consider those deeds.

We will undertake an effort to ensure that North Carolinians understand the truth about what happened.

For now, may I suggest to Mr. Graham: Drop the misleading ads and stop attacking North Carolina agriculture.

Peter T. Daniel, Sr.
Chairman, NC Ag Partnership