Bradley sues ‘Statesman’ publisher

Austin developer Gary Bradley has filed suit against Gatehouse Media Holdings, owner of the Austin American-Statesman. Although the newspaper featured Bradley in numerous stories about development battles while Bradley was pushing for the development of Circle C and Rob Roy residential neighborhoods, he is not suing over editorial coverage, but because of the paper’s alleged failure to keep the purchase of an advertisement confidential. According to the lawsuit, which was filed Friday, members of Bradley’s church were attempting to oust the minister, and as part of that effort, Bradley paid for an ad in the Statesman to raise awareness about a vote on the pastor’s budget. According to the lawsuit, “In many churches, denying a pastor’s budget is akin to removing the pastor.” Bradley purchased the ad in February 2020. According to the lawsuit, the Statesman ad rep promised the purchase would be anonymous; however, the Statesman “mailed a copy of Bradley’s invoice to the church.” As a result, word spread about Bradley’s involvement, causing him “economic damages and losses” as well as anguish and ostracism. As a result, he left the church. Bradley is seeking damages under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, among other causes of action, of more than $1 million. Attorneys Geoffrey D. Weisbart and Mireya Braxton of Weisbart Springer Hayes are representing him.