Bret Nida (courtesy facebook.com)

You may recall that TTAG offered a grand in the hand to anyone who could identify the mystery actor in the Mayors Against Illegal Guns ad pimping “universal background checks” [click here to view] No one collected and the offer expired. Back in April, nydailynews.com ran a feature claiming they’d traced down the pro-civilian disarmament bearded hunter dude. “The Daily News has confirmed the identity, address and occupation of the man featured in the ad at the back of a pick-up truck in a rural setting with children playing in the background. In light of the NRA attack, The News has also agreed to his request to not publish his name.” Really? It’s OK for a hunter to publicly enter the public debate over gun control with YouTube anti-gun agit prop (that threatens our natural, civil and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms) and remain anonymous? I don’t think so . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usLYfg9L8Rg

The man in question is Charleston, West Virginia real estate broker Bret Nida. As the video above indicates, Mr. Nida is not exactly a recluse. As the picture at the top of the post reveals, Mr. Nida is not what you’d call a pacifist either.

Saying that, his Facebook page doesn’t say squat on the subject of guns, gun rights or his participation in the ad. For that we return to the NY Daily news article:

I own four rifles, three shotguns and a pistol. When required, I have gone through background checks when purchasing guns and I don’t see why background checks shouldn’t be required for everyone.”

He said he’s hunted since he was 14 and had West Virginia hunting and fishing licenses for a decade, along with a concealed carry permit.

“The NRA attacks on me are wrong. I am not an actor and I am a lifelong hunter.”

TTAG has put in a call into Mr. Nida. We’d like to get some background on his participation in the MAIG ad, his thoughts about the laws they support and his position on gun control generally.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

84 COMMENTS

  1. He may be a hunter and have a CCW but he is aiding and abetting the enemy of the 2nd amendment. If he cannot see that MAIG only wishes to use his words against all gun owners he is blind or truly a supporter of their radical goals. If he does support their anti gun agenda why does he hide, is he ashamed now? Also, the picture of him scowling/smirking? while holding the m4/m203 says it all. Any true gun enthusiast would have a full face smile with that kinda hardware!

    • @ crzapy,

      A+

      I wholeheartedly agree with everything you just said.

      And with the M203, it looks like he likes it, but thinks he shouldn’t.

  3. If indeed this is the same person, on his Facebook page he posted on June 19:

    “….You don’t play with me people’s emotions”

    Well, it appears that maig does EXACTLY THAT!

    Can you say “HYPOCRITE”?

  4. His facestuff seems Christian, however, the activities, interests and such therein seem slightly conflicting.

    With the obligatory: just sayin’.

    • Fitting this guy sells real estate. Maybe he can use the $$$ Bloomy paid him and follow the Bible? Acts 1:15-19

      15In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16and said, “Brothers and sisters,d the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”

      18(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

  7. So many think that “oh it’s just background checks. It’s ‘common sense'” and don’t care…but there was a time when full autos were only a $200 tax stamp away…but that was taken from us… Then it was the “assault weapons”…then we got those back…but they’ll try again. Once they get the “assault weapons”, then it’ll be handguns…then “sniper rifles”…then anything but a double barreled shotgun will be illegal…

  8. He put himself out there as a public pro gun control spokesman for MAIG. When he did so he became a public figure and can no longer legitimately claim “private person” status. Acting like a true liberal Democrat, he wants to have his cake and eat it too.

  9. At the very least the MAIG add is misleading. They try to portray him as some kind of farmer “everyman” but in fact he is a yuppie retaliator

    • why did he need to have a beard? and the crappy hat? and flannel? If he is a hunter, why is his finger on the trigger? Was he told to do that? So it is ok to portray gun onwners as dangerous and sloppy neanderthals? Reverse it. What if he was Black and asked to portray Jamal, a former gang banger, now advocating for gun restrictions as common sense. Think the NAACP wouldn’t have a fit?

      • Image… Deceptive image as all things of liberal progression especialy “As seen on TV”

  10. I’m going to ask him if he too thinks Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Christopher Dorner are “gun violence victims” like his puppetmasters MAIG think. Screw this dude, he should be run out of West Virginia.

  11. How did they meet? Surely MAIG didn’t show up in his town looking to buy some real estate and bazinga! He must have contacted them. Either he is painfully naive or has some kind of Fudd mentality.

  13. Well at least he is the real deal and he has his opinion and the right to express it.

    We have the right to disagree.

    Nice grenade launcher (M203). Did he pass a background check for that?

    Do we “need” a non-sporting, destructive device on our ARs?

    • Yeah, I may not agree with him, but there’s no denying that there are those who have the same opinion as him and he has a right to speak and be in a video.

      • If you are going to speak and express your opinion you shouldn’t be trying to misrepresent yourself. The add is clearly trying to pass this guy off as a rural “famer” type guy, a joe everyman when in fact he is a yuppie realator. Nothong wrong with that, but put him on there, without the beard, infront of a for sale sign in his normal every day clothing. Don’t try to pull the wool over our eyes.

        • Ever think that the reason they look so different is because it’s not the same guy??? It’s also called defamation of character when some shitty ass “journalist” publishes things like this without verifying his sources. I hope Bret sues the pants off this guy!

      • Unfortunately the fact remains;

        Since SCOTUS just ruled that no proof of citizenship can be required, as per the AZ ruling, to vote, a civil liberty, so how can you sit there and say it is acceptable to have to not only have proof of citizenship in order to exercise another civil liberty, but also an invasive violation of the 4th Amendment also?

        It is hypocritical BS!

        Lets apply that to all the others & see how people like it.

        Another point is if AZ acted as the POTUS and congress is acting in reference to DC V HELLER, then they will simply say “We don’t agree with the ruling.” & continue to do as they damn well please, continuing to violate civil liberties.

        Lets hear the rebutle… I’m just dieing to hear the rationale!

  15. He says he’s gone through background checks “when required.” So we can presume he’s purchased guns w/o a background check?

    • Sounds like it to me – otherwise there’s no point for the “when required” qualifier.

  18. WV. Obviously this went through Manchin somehow. Most likely someone on Manchin’s staff knew the guy from somewhere else, and a call came out to find someone to be this made up character.

    He ‘loosely’ fits the profile and they said ‘close enough, action.’ and that is probably all she wrote.

    I doubt he had any idea the shitstorm he was about to create…

    • It is possible he didn’t fully understand the scope of MAIG’s anti-freedom views. Lots of folks who don’t live and breathe this don’t fully appreciate how far they go.

      • Brian,

        If that’s the case he should have approached the NRA and done a rebuttal ad, just saying.

    • hmm, that’s an interesting theory. If there is a connection between him and Manchin, does that make Bret a lobbyist? paid? does he have to register as a lobbyist and if so is he registered? Is there some kind a violation of PAC rules if there is coordination between him and Manchin? What disclosures has Manchin made about said lobbyist?

      The WV connection struck me as too-good-to-be true coincidence. I do not believe in coincidences.

  19. “When required, I have gone through background checks ”

    er, does that mean he has bought firearms without a check? egads!

    be sure to ask him if he supports all those other nice utopian gun laws in NYC, like the $340 pistol permit fee, the fingerprinting, registration, turn in your neighbors for $500… and by the way no CCW in NY. i am sure i missed a few.

  20. How about respecting this guys right to have an opinion? I don’t’ agree with him, but last i checked we still had 1st amendment. We should argue with his message and not pick at his appearance.

    • How about respecting our rights to have an opinion about this guy? Including his appearance.

    • I respect his right to have an opinion. But if you do a public spot, you better have your big boy pants on. Are you naive enough to think that MAIG is not busy doing opposition research on Colion Nior? This is a full contact sport, not touch football for lunch money.

    • You put yourself out there in the public eye in front of millions of people, be prepared to defend your opinion…becuase everyone else has one too, we just don’t have a billionare left wing nanny wannabe to fund our opinion to the masses.

  21. If the roles were reversed and we were the leftists this is when we would blow up (as in post all over it) his facebook, hack his personal information and publish it, defame him, harass him and make every attempt to ruin his name and his livelihood. I suppose it’s fortunate for him we’re not leftists.

  22. He has the right to remain anonymous making a political video statement if he chooses just as we do online if we choose.

    • If you make the decision to accept money for an acting job, putting your face and your (or someone elses) opinion out in the public domain…how exactly do you expect to have a right to privacy? Just like anything else on the internet…there is no privacy! Once you put it out there, it’s there FOREVER.

      And again, everyone does have an opinion, but we all don’t have Daddy Warbucks to fund our national broadcast of that opinion, now do we?

      • I have no idea of what he expected. I have no idea if and how much money exchanged hands. I don’t care. It is ok for him to remain anonymous. It is ok if he reveals himself. Just because he is an alleged “hunter” does not mean it is his duty to reveal himself. There is no reason why he should reveal himself if he doesn’t want too. What happens in the age of the Internet to his privacy is another issue. It seems like you don’t believe in the right to privacy, now do you?

        • You’re 50% right. But when someone attacks my RTKBA, I want to know who he is.

          Thanks, Robert. Mission Accomplished. And you didn’t even stiff something in your flight suit to make you look “packed”!

    • He has a right to speak/publish without being required to identify himself – he doesn’t have a right to prevent other people from figuring out who he is, and discussing whether or not his actions and his words are consistent.

    • He has the right to remain anonymous making a political video statement if he chooses just as we do online if we choose.

      We do not have the right to remain anonymous – we can choose to pursue anonymity, but there are no rights. If we did we would not be issued social security numbers, birth certificates, passports, stringently tracked by federal agencies, and we would not have to fill out FFL forms and register firearms from dealers. What a ridiculous statement. Rights are imaginary, illusory, and non-tangible – Same as laws. We only have choices. There are only two choices we have no control over. Being born and living until we die. The rest is up to us.

  24. I know this was highlighted somewhat in the article but not one mention of activities related towards hunting, fishing or target shooting in his favorite activities. Just golf and real estate. As a member of the community of lead throwers it is tradition to at least nod towards such hobbies on our Facebook accounts if they are truly one of our enjoyments.

  26. I frequently hear people defending our right to Free Speech. Let me point something out. We cannot use any right to deprive another person of their rights. That applies to our First Amendment Free Speech rights as well.

    Everyone knows the Free Speech discussion about yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theater when there is no fire. That is a crime because the speech is intended to deprive the theater patrons of their rights — in this case the patrons’ right to life. Similarly, civilian disarmament speech is intended to deprive citizens of their right to self defense and property. How is that not a crime?

    • So Bob, you can take the time to post someone’s facebook page but can’t take 2 secs to look at his picture and vs the dude in the video???

  29. Love that pretty boy grew a beard for his “role,” he’s just a gliberal gigolo. He should be ashamed of himself and if anyone runs into him, they should be sure to remind him of this… loudly, and for the rest of his damnable life.

  30. Yeah. That’s the guy. And the SOB owns more guns than me. He could send some my way, and I’ll sell them and buy what I want. A TAVOR.

    But sometimes these people get so devious I just have to step away and shake my head sadly. It’s a disgrace there are p*ricks like that stabbing us in the back.

    Where’s my voodoo doll?

  31. I just spent several minutes going back and forth between the two videos, and even looked at 3-4 other videos of his that showed his face, and it doesn’t look or sound like the same guy to me. At all.

  33. I know Bret Nida and that is definitely not him in the ad. Don’t see how anyone could watch the videos and then look at the pictures of Bret and actually think they are the same guy!!

  34. This is not Brett, I know him as well, he’s a good guy who sells real estate and the idiot that said that was Brett should be sued since he has no idea what he is talking about.

  35. Yall some fools. That dude in the video doesnt look anything like Bret Nida. Im a close personal friend and thats not him.

    I think this article needs to be reviewed….removed and a formal appology is in order.

  36. On his FB page he is claiming that it isn’t him, I suggest waiting this one out to see what the truth is…………

    • There isnt anything to wait out. Bret Nida ismt the man in question. Fact. Period. Not even close.

      The author really fouled this up. Why didnt the editor catch this. What kind of a stab in the dark publication is this.

      Cmon’ Mr. FARAGO! TIme to man up to your gross mistake. I know your watching….appologize.

  37. This article needs to come down ASAP! The guy with the beard is NOT Bret Nida nor even looks like him.

  38. This reminds me of a skit on the Twilight Zone!
    Mr. Farago must have missed the day of Journalism class that went over “citing ones sources”
    Although I do appreciate the clicks on my website and YouTube Channels as a means for better SEO, that dude isn’t me. Sorry, to rain on your propaganda parade…Although I must say the Elmer Fudd comment is pretty darn funny..Now, I can see some resemblance there!
    Now Mr. Farago, had you done your homework(not just send me an email and leave me a voice-mail asking if this guy is me as some justification of checking your sources) then you would immediately notice several things
    1) Dialect- This schmuck claims to be from The Great State Of West By God Virginia. If that is the case, his accent isn’t from “around these here parts” – southern WV. Ya see Mr. Farago, natives in the southern part of the state tend to have more of a twang and often cut short certain syllables when speaking. The twang of a hillbilly(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillbilly )
    is said to be a mix of English and twisted with a Scottish-Irish dialect. Now being a Yank from Rhode Island, Mr Farago, you might not appreciate the rich history of those that came through the hills of WV and why we West Virginians’ speak as we do BUT down here, we take it serious and don’t take associations lightly.
    2) The Beard—Really??? If only I could grow a full beard. My attempts of growing a beard looks like puberty gone wrong and although I must confess I do have beard envy at times, I can’t stand the itch of trying to grow one out.
    3) Anonymity- Yellow isn’t a color that runs through my veins, Mr. Farago. You can rest assured that if I believe in something I won’t hide behind some pseudonym or ask to have my name left out.For “You’ve got to stand for something or you shall fall for anything” I like to run towards fights and not from them

    4) Guns- Well, let’s just compare states seals and see where I stand. Rhode Island : an anchor with hope written above it.(What is that? CareBears anyone?)
    The Great Seal of West Virginia was adopted by the Legislature on September 26, 1863. The seal bears the legend, State of West Virginia, together with the motto, “Montani Semper Liberi” (Mountaineers Are Always Free) A farmer stands to the right and a miner to the left of a large rock bearing the date of admission to the Union, June 20, 1863. In front of the rock are two hunters’ rifles with a Phrygian Cap, or “Cap of Liberty”, resting at the cross of the rifles.

    In conclusion Mr. Farago, I don’t really give a darn about the defamation of character that you have spun with your shallow journalism, for I have big shoulders and only sweat what the Lord tells me to sweat. However, the amount of disrespect you have shown to my fellow Mountaineers by associating me to this mystery man and his claim of being from the Great State of West By God, well sir, as we say down here in The Great State, “That Dog Don’t Hunt” & I would say sir it is in your best interest to stop playing games and check yourself. If you would like to get further clarification as to if I resemble mystery man, I would love to meet in person and get this mess straightened out real quick. Are you still at 162 Freeman Parkway?

  43. Is it right to post items on the net, without evidence of the validity, and assume there should be no action against your slanderous and libelous actions? No, it is not. I hope that Mr. Nida seeks all actions against you that he can legally and makes you realize that your idiot logic is so flawed that you spent the rest of your days peeing and crapping in your depends out of the fear of trying to do it again. Learn good journalistic and professional ethics and stop being a complete waste of human flesh.

  45. Hey genius,
    That’s not Bret Nida in the ad. I know Bret and have my whole life. That’s not him. Bret has been a friend of mine since grade school and I can assure you that you have the wrong person.
    By the way, I’m in the military, a multiple combat vet, an NRA member, an avid gun owner, instructor, and a conservative so don’t think I’m trying to cover anyone’s tracks.
    You are wrong and are defacing a good man’s name. I suggest you stop it.

    • I have expressed my concern both in a comment above and in an email, and have been informed that RF is actually right in the middle of a multi-day cross country move of his household, so he is unavailable to address the issue. I expect we’ll hear from him when he is able.

        • Yeah, nice little 800k house Mr.Farago moving out of Benny. Perhaps invite him down to the hills here and show him how we “keep the lights on” for dem yanks aiii?

          Btw, I spoke with him on the phone on 6-26 and said he was taking this down. I saw the link down. But it’s back??

          I don’t think Mr.Farago understands us Appalachian folk. Gotch yirself in a holler ye don’t want to be in yank!

        • It wasn’t an excuse, just a piece of information. I don’t personally have a dog in this fight.

          I know the story came down for a couple days, then went back up on the evening of the 30th. As I have not heard from RF, and knowing the vagaries of the WordPress system, it’s at least a possibility that it went back up due to a glitch in the post queueing system. We regularly see posts go up and then come right back down because it’s not their time yet, and they then show up hours to days later when they reach the right point in the queue. If that’s what happened here and the information is incorrect, I trust (hope) that a retraction and apology will be forthcoming.

  47. What, Robert Farago is fabricating “news” out of whole cloth when he doesn’t have anything factual or accurate to report?

    Color me surprised.

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