An attorney for former President Donald Trump on Friday sent a “cease and desist” letter to Rep. Bob Good, warning his campaign to stop using his name and likeness in campaign materials that falsely suggest his support.
The letter comes just days after Mr. Trump endorsed Mr. Good’s Republican primary opponent, John McGuire.
Trump attorney David A. Warrington said in the letter that they were informed Mr. Good’s campaign was producing yard signs “purporting to indicate President Trump’s endorsement of your candidacy.” The letter included a photograph of a yard sign that had Mr. Trump’s name listed above Mr. Good’s name.
Mr. Good’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
The cease and desist letter escalates the hostile relationship between Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, and Mr. Good, the chair of the House Freedom Caucus.
“You know that is false,” Mr. Warrington wrote, citing Mr. Trump’s endorsement Tuesday of Mr. McGuire, a state senator and former Navy Seal.
“To be clear, neither you nor your campaign are authorized to use President Trump’s name or the Campaign’s to falsely imply their support of your candidacy,” he said. “Nor are you or your campaign authorized to claim that you represent or are otherwise associated with President Trump or the Campaign.”
It was unclear when the yard sign pictured in the letter was produced or when the photo was taken.
Mr. Good has been on the outs with Mr. Trump since May, when the congressman endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidenital primary.
When Mr. DeSantis dropped out of the White House race earlier this year, Mr. Good immediately endorsed Mr. Trump and started courting his support. He and Mr. McGuire both were among the Republicans who flocked to Manhattan this month to support Mr. Trump in his hush money trial.
Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post Tuesday that Mr. Good’s endorsement came “too late” and “the damage has been done!”
“Bob Good is BAD FOR VIRGINIA, AND BAD FOR THE USA,” Mr. Trump said. “He turned his back on our incredible movement, and was constantly attacking and fighting me until recently, when he gave a warm and ‘loving’ Endorsement - But really, it was too late.”
Mr. Trump went on in the post to endorse Mr. McGuire, who he called a “highly respected State Legislator” and “true American Hero.”
Mr. Warrington accused Mr. Good of committing “fraud” on the voters of Virginia’s 5th Congressional District and Republican donors by producing campaign materials implying he has Mr. Trump’s support.
“It is an abuse of the voters’ trust to make such false statements,” he wrote, adding that if Mr. Good is using Mr. Trump’s name in any fundraising efforts, that would also be an issue.
“There are a lot of unscrupulous people and groups who seek to make money off President Trump’s name and Campaign,” Mr. Warrington wrote. “President Trump is very concerned with ensuring that his supporters are not deceived into thinking they are contributing to a candidate — like you — that President Trump does not support.”
Despite not having the former president’s support, Mr. Good has not turned on Mr. Trump. He voiced support for the ex-president after a jury on Thursday found Mr. Trump guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the hush money trial.
“The American people will have the final verdict on November 5,” Mr. Good wrote on his campaign Facebook page. “Everyone in the country — except the illegal aliens — are far worse off under Joe Biden, than they were when Trump was in office, and that is what this is about. This is election interference by the Democrat Party, Joe Biden, and Merrick Garland, facilitated by a corrupt judge and a crooked prosecutor.”
• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.