'Married to a Black': Steve Fischer's Critics Want Him Out
Some lawyers want Steve Fischer, a board of directors member of the State Bar of Texas, to resign over Facebook comments about race that they found offensive. He says he won't resign.
July 17, 2020 at 11:22 AM
5 minute read
As calls for State Bar of Texas President Larry McDougal to resign grow louder, there's a softer volley of voices saying that another board of directors member should also step down.
McDougal, who has said he will not resign, came under fire this week because of online comments about Black Lives Matter and other posts on Facebook. Now, some lawyers are pointing to offensive posts by Texas Bar Director Steve Fischer, who was elected in May and sworn in on June 19.
'Did you just say …?'
Dylan Drummond, counsel at Gray Reed in Dallas, said Fischer should resign because of a recent back-and-forth discussion with a female attorney in the Texas Family Lawyers group on Facebook. He emailed us screenshots of the exchange.
"You did nothing to help civil rights this week except you're still married to a Black," Fischer wrote.
She replied, "Did you just say I am married to a black? You have no clue!"
Later, Fischer wrote, "So you married a Black—now where's that money?"
Drummond said he thinks Fischer used the word Black as a racist term.
"I'm not unbiased or objective here. My spouse is African American. I was shocked a sitting director of the State Bar would use such terminology," Drummond said. "It was not acceptable to me in any way, shape or form."
He said he has since learned that Fischer has a history of being bombastic and politically incorrect.
"This was kind of in line with how he has typically treated folks: It was very condescending and offensive, his interactions with this female lawyer," Drummond said.
'Jews suffered way worst'
Fischer ran for president-elect of the bar in 2013. Lawyers opposed his candidacy because of improper comments he posted on Facebook that critics said were racist toward Mexicans and had attacked Catholics and others who believe in organized religion. Fischer said he was being sarcastic and his opponents took his comments out of context.
Read more: Steve Fischer Likes to Talk. Now He's Under Fire for Facebook Posts, Media Comments
Another comment by Fischer that touches on religion and race surfaced on Twitter on Thursday.
"Jews suffered way worse than Blacks—equal jobs or equal ovens. We do our best to get an education and help others, while you want to shout and complain," he wrote.
Although lawyers sent past bar president Randy Sorrels some of the comments that McDougal has posted in the past, Sorrels said he had not seen the comments by Fischer.
'Feel bad later'
When Texas Lawyer emailed the screenshots to Sorrels, he said he feels that using the term "a Black" is dehumanizing, and that the statement about Jews was divisive based on race and religion. Sorrels said he feels that Texas Bar leaders should not make such divisive comments.
"I've seen Steve use words really loosely in his posts, and I think they would make anybody cringe. The next day, I will see Steve saying, 'I've been trying to support minority candidates, women candidates, people looking for real change to our profession.' His support is across gender, race and religion lines."
Fischer admitted to writing both sets of comments. He said he has apologized for the statements about the attorney's African American husband.
He said he is Jewish and some of his ancestors died in concentration camps during the Holocaust.
"In the last 80 to 90 years, Jews have suffered worse than Blacks, and that is my opinion, and I am entitled to it," said Fischer. "I always have felt an alignment with minorities, because I think Jews and Blacks and Hispanics should stick together."
Fischer said he disagrees that he should resign.
He also supports McDougal in continuing in his year as bar president. As the discussion has grown over McDougal's online comments, Fischer said he has been taunting some attorneys who have been telling McDougal to resign.
"Sometimes, I enjoy taunting them, so they get angry at me," he said. "If I had not taken Larry's side, this would not have happened."
When asked why he acted offensive on purpose, Fischer said he gets really passionate about defending his friends and defending free speech.
"I get over-passionate, and I sometimes feel bad later," Fischer said.
Related story:
Lawyers Call On Texas Bar President to Resign Over Black Lives Matter Comments
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View AllTrending Stories
- 1Uber Files RICO Suit Against Plaintiff-Side Firms Alleging Fraudulent Injury Claims
- 2The Law Firm Disrupted: Scrutinizing the Elephant More Than the Mouse
- 3Inherent Diminished Value Damages Unavailable to 3rd-Party Claimants, Court Says
- 4Pa. Defense Firm Sued by Client Over Ex-Eagles Player's $43.5M Med Mal Win
- 5Losses Mount at Morris Manning, but Departing Ex-Chair Stays Bullish About His Old Firm's Future
Who Got The Work
J. Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The suit, accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products, was filed Dec. 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc. and Graco Minnesota. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, is 3:24-cv-11294, Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation.
Who Got The Work
Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel, in a pending securities lawsuit. The action, filed on Dec. 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell, Aron & Co. on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors, accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, is 1:24-cv-09918, Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al.
Who Got The Work
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action. The suit, filed Dec. 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld, accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is 1:24-cv-09445, Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al.
Who Got The Work
Crown Castle International, a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure, has turned to Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, is 2:24-cv-13131, The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc. in a pending product liability lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern, alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, is 2:24-cv-08204, Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250