LAS VEGAS, July 27, 1996 -- The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) has begun a reorganization process designed to "re-invent" itself to become more autonomous and independent of the legal services program that finances it, Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (AIM).
Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 27, the NCOM Board also expressed regret and disapproval of product liability lawsuits filed by AIM lawyers charging that certain Harley-Davidson motorcycles contain design flaws that can lead to leg amputations in case of accident. Those suits triggered concern among motorcycle activists in Europe who are fighting proposals to mandate leg protectors on motorcycles.
"Our intent on filing those suits was solely to protect the rights of injured motorcyclists, not to promote mandatory leg protectors," NCOM and AIM founder Richard Lester told the Board. "In retrospect, however, I can see how they could be misinterpreted that way. Neither I nor any AIM attorney would ever do anything to jeopardize the motorcycle rights movement and will no longer take any future cases that even have the perception of conflict."
However, rules governing the legal profession indicate that for those existing cases, the attorneys may not be substituted without proper legal cause. The issue was expected to be included in a column in an upcoming issue of the "American Motorcyclist," the monthly magazine published by the American Motorcyclist Association.
"We do not approve of this type of lawsuit and we wish they had never been filed," the NCOM Board said in a statement. "But we cannot and will not allow this incident to detract from or destroy the very real progress we have made in fighting for bikers rights. We must move ahead positively and aggressively."
And while taking issue with the lawsuits, the NCOM Board gave Lester and AIM a vote of confidence and expressed gratitude for providing the motorcycle rights movement with well over $3 million in funding over the past decade.
Sixteen regional NCOM advisors agreed to continue serving on the Board; two resigned, citing their personal disagreement with the AIM lawsuits.
The Board reaffirmed its commitment to keep fighting for motorcycle rights; at the same time, it took steps to address concerns about the potential for conflicts of interest in a relationship between a non-profit rights organization and a for-profit legal services program.
Those steps included:
Acting Board Chairman Rod Clarke of Vermont said NCOM has experienced such rapid growth in the 10 years since it was created that some "growing pains" were inevitable.
"We felt it was crucial that we turn this challenge into an opportunity to review of operation, redefine our relationship with AIM and develop a plan that will help us lead the motorcycle rights movement into the 21st century," he said.
EDITOR'S NOTE: There ain't no end to the lies or the liar. "Neither I nor any AIM attorney would ever do anything to jeopardize the motorcycle rights movement . . ." Although NCOM representatives may be pure of mind and mouth, Lester is forever just what he's always been, a lying bastard!
He declared, "Our intent on filing those suits was solely to protect the rights of injured motorcyclists, . . ." Yeah, right!
Lester's sole intent, from day one, has been to get the money. History will bear out the fact that Richard Lester has only contributed what was necessary to keep the network of lawyers he has, busy; and, of course, the cash register ringing.
No, it probably wasn't his intent to promote leg protectors, per se. It was his intent to grab as much money as he could regardless of the cost to others. HLDL has had more than enough experience with Lester to support that understanding.
The benefit that the motorcycling community has derived from the reported $3 million contributed by AIM (got receipts?), and any other benefits derived by the community through Lester's use of the community to reach his financial goals, are coincidental. Never his intent.
If Lester actually did contribute $3 million, it was all written off for what it was, an advertising expense. I can assure you that it was all part of a very closely planned advertising campaign that had as its goal, CASH FLOW! ALL of the expenses of AIM are not fairly attributable as "contributions" to anybody. The SOB never "contributed" anything to anybody. Lester's "contributions" come with more strings than the New York Philharmonic. It's all just advertising expenses, pure and simple.
That's business, and in some ways that's okay. But you would think that by now, with the evidence of his greed reflected in his all-out effort to wipe out HLDL and BOLT, manifesting itself here in the product liability litigation he took on, to the even greater detriment of the entire motorcycling community, he would 'fess up like a man. His refusal doesn't come from the fact that he's an attorney. (He knows less about the law than anyone we have ever met.) No, Lester won't confess the truth of his greed because he's a money-grabbing weasel. An unprincipled self-promoter. Period.
As for NCOM, there is little doubt that the members who have worked with NCOM over all these years were just pawns in Lester's marketing scheme, and that they had little or no knowledge of the limited nature of their respective roles. Guys like Lester use everybody!
Speaking of guys like Lester, now that he has proven himself to be a complete ignoramus, NCOM could market their exclusive endorsement to some other accident attorney who is not asleep at the wheel. Put the NCOM mailing list and endorsement capability on the auction block. Take bids. There are probably plenty of takers at $6 thousand per year per state -- which is what $3 million over ten years breaks down to. Does anybody but us realize that that equals no more than $500 per month per state? That's about the cost of a full page ad in Thunder Press! If they are going to sell out the community, they should at least hold out for minimum wage.
I hope that for whatever good they can do, NCOM can survive this betrayal. At least they don't have do deal with Lester in their face, which is something neither we at HLDL, nor BOLT, nor anyone else who ever refused to worship the Great God Lester , can say.
quig