New York state’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit to dissolve the National Rifle Association last week, alleging senior leaders diverted millions of dollars for personal use and to bribe former employees for their silence and loyalty.
Attorney General Letitia James filed the lawsuit in a Manhattan court that alleges NRA leaders paid for family trips to the Bahamas, private jets, and decadent meals which resulted in $64 million dollars over a three-year timeframe.
In return, the NRA promptly responded by suing James in federal court, indicating that the attorney general had violated the NRA’s right to free speech and is seeking to block her investigation. The NRA filed their lawsuit in the Northern District of New York, saying James had been targeting the NRA politically ever since she ran for attorney general in 2018, vowing to take on the NRA which she called a “criminal enterprise.”
According to James, NRA leaders “used millions upon millions from NRA reserves for personal use,” which does not follow the NRA’s internal policies, state, or federal law.
The lawsuit specifically names the NRA as well as four leaders, including Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice-president who has been with the organization for almost 30 years.
James, a long-time Democrat, has chosen a peculiar time to go up against the most powerful gun organization in the U.S., especially with the November election being just around the corner, and the fact that the NRA is closely aligned with President Donald Trump’s Republican Party. It is certain that the attempt to bring this organization down will not sit well with Republican voters who cherish their Second Amendment rights.
While conservatives generally support the NRA as a champion of the U.S. Constitution and its Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, it is criticized by liberals who claim it is an enabler of gun violence.
The timing of the fight is actually a poor decision for James, as Trump had already planned to use gun rights as an election point on November 3 against Democratic opponent Joe Biden, who does not support our Second Amendment rights.
“Just like Radical Left New York is trying to destroy the NRA, if Biden becomes President your GREAT SECOND AMENDMENT doesn’t have a chance,” Trump posted on social media. “Your guns will be taken away, immediately and without notice. No police, no guns!”
The NRA has called the ridiculous lawsuit a “baseless, premeditated attack” and a “power grab” tied to an election campaign.
“We not only will not shrink from this fight – we will confront it and prevail,” NRA President Carolyn Meadows said.
The NRA is ruled by New York law because it is registered in the state as a non-profit organization. The location of the physical headquarters is in Fairfax, Virginia.
Featured Image by Matthew Cohen
