Raptor Strategies, a Washington DC public relations and consultancy firm, was started by David Bass in 2009. He did so because, after the 2008 presidential elections, he felt a need for change in how things were done. He created the company slogan around that thought, “New times demand new strategies.”
Several months later, when returning from a business trip to Honduras, Bass created a bit of a ruckus on the return flight. Flight attendants reported him climbing over other passengers to get to the overhead compartments and the restroom. He was belligerent to passengers and the flight attendants – throwing mean and intimidating looks at various people. After this behavior had gone on for a time, the flight attendants and other airline personnel decided there would be no drinks for Mr. Bass. He only got more belligerent and intimidating according to reports.
As Bass deplaned, he was taken into custody by Federal officials. Making problems like that during a flight is a Federal offense that is punishable by up to 20 years in the Federal pen.
Bass later reported he didn’t think there was a problem with his behavior. He wouldn’t know how to give a mean look, and any bad behavior on his part stemmed from an extreme lack of sleep while in Honduras and an adverse reaction to Benadryl (allergy medication). The charges were eventually dismissed and things went back to normal.
Fast forward six years to this past month. A high-end local nightspot in Georgetown, Café Milano, had two men walk in through a back entrance and brazenly steal two bottles of alcohol. Almost the entire event was caught on CCTV at an entrance to the back door of the building. Walking up the back staircase. Walking through the kitchen area and even stopping to chat with one of the workers. And the two of them worked together with one taking the bottles while the other was lookout. Police used the footage to track down the fellows, determining the lookout to be none other than David Bass.
For those wondering about the alcohol, it was one bottle of Grey Goose Vodka and one of Campari. The tab for these in most liquor stores would be less than $150. Not cheap … but come on, the man is the CEO of a multimillion-dollar company. He can afford that!
It cannot be good for business when The Washington Post and others accuse you of being a crook!
Friends and former workmates after the 2009 incident publicly declared such behavior was not like Bass and it must be a tempest in a teacup. Funny thing, more than a dozen friends and associates looked at the recent footage and easily identified Bass without question.
We don’t believe such antics are what Bass meant by “New times demand new strategies.”