NRA Sues NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo Over Backroom Exhortations & Public Threats

Andrew Cuomo
The NRA Sues New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York State Department of Financial Services Over Alleged Attack on First Amendment Rights New York, NY.

New York ~ -(Ammoland.com)-  On Friday, May 11, 2018, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, the NRA filed a lawsuit claiming that Gov. Cuomo, and his Director of Financial Services (DFS) have engaged in a “campaign of selective prosecution, backroom exhortations, and public threats” designed to coerce banks and insurance companies to withhold services from the NRA.

The NRA argues that such tactics vastly overstep DFS’s regulatory mandate, and seek to suppress the speech of Second Amendment supporters and retaliate against the NRA and others for their political advocacy.

The lawsuit seeks millions of dollars in damages to redress harms inflicted by the DFS campaign.

“Political differences aside, our client believes the tactics employed by these public officials are aimed to deprive the NRA of its First Amendment right to speak freely about gun-related issues and in defense of the Second Amendment,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and counsel to the NRA.

“We believe these actions are outside the authority of DFS and fail to honor the principles which require public officials to protect the constitutional rights of all citizens.” Among other things, the lawsuit cites a pair of “guidance” letters issued on April 19, 2018, by the DFS to the CEOs of banks and insurance companies doing business in New York. Styled as regulatory “risk management” advisories, the letters encourage institutions to “take prompt actions” to manage “reputational risk” posed by dealings with “gun promotion organizations.” The same day, Cuomo issued a press release in which Vullo directly urged “all insurance companies and banks doing business in New York” to “discontinue[] their arrangements with the NRA.”

The lawsuit claims that the “guidance” letters were accompanied by back-channel communications and targeted enforcement actions, which further reinforced the Cuomo administration’s message that it is bad business in New York to do business with the NRA.

The lawsuit explains that the DFS mandate – preceded by an “investigation” orchestrated by gun-control activists into insurance programs sponsored by the NRA – has already caused several insurance companies to sever relationships with the NRA and to plan to cancel the insurance policies of lawabiding New York consumers. According to the complaint, the directive of Cuomo and Vullo has had its intended effect – to advance Cuomo’s longstanding opposition to gun-rights supporters and to distort insurance markets in the service of a political agenda.

The lawsuit says, “As a direct result of this coercion, multiple firms have succumbed to Defendants’ demands and entered into consent orders with DFS that compel them to terminate longstanding, beneficial business relationships with the NRA both in New York and elsewhere. Tellingly, several provisions in the orders bear no relation to any ostensible regulatory infraction. Instead, the orders prohibit lawful commercial speech for no reason other than that it carries the NRA brand.”

On May 2, 2018 and May 7, 2018, Lockton Companies, LLC and Chubb Ltd., respectively, announced they will pay millions of dollars in fines to DFS and cease doing business with the NRA – for no other reason than many of the insurance programs with which they are associated carry the NRA brand. On May 9, 2018, Lloyd’s of London announced that it is directing insurance underwriters to terminate any existing partnerships [with the NRA].

The lawsuit explains that these outcomes are the culmination of years of political activism by Cuomo against the NRA and gun rights organizations.

As recently as April 20, 2018, Cuomo called the NRA an “extremist organization” and urged New York companies “to revisit their ties to the NRA and consider their reputations…”

In the face of such attacks, the NRA continues to educate the public about the Second Amendment, defend the NRA and its members against political and media attacks, and galvanize participation in the political process. The NRA claims that in response, Cuomo and DFS are taking actions to silence the organization.

Citing the Supreme Court’s landmark Bantam Books, Inc. v. Sullivan case, the lawsuit argues that “viewpoint discrimination applied through ‘threat[s] of invoking legal sanctions and other means of coercion, persuasion, and intimidation’ violates the Constitution where, as here, such measures chill protected First Amendment activities.”

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RayJN

They should sue him PERSONALLY. The money should come out of his own pocket not the tax payers.

robert aben

I agree Ray, but upon reading the complaint , it does name him “personally”…. but doubt this will go anywhere … the left has the Judges and the Media , soooo?

Kenny Smith

I am pretty sure this POS has armed body guards because he is one of the most hated people in New York !!!!!

bud

Anyone want to take bets as to wheather Cuomo has armed body guards?

Mark Zanghetti

He has personal security detail from the New York State Police and his driver the last time I checked was a Trooper. So, yes he has armed security provided by State Police Troopers. No, that is a sucker bet! You can’t tell me he isn’t a hypocritical slime ball either!

Jim

Is it me or does he look like Tony Montana Scarface (Al Pacino ) In the movie? A crook!!!!
“Say hello to my little friend”

James Eichel

I hope this worthless POS gets taken to the cleaners and his insurance carrier refuses to back him on grounds of stupidity.

Laddyboy

Shades of the “choke” or “throttling” routine ‘e. holder’ was using during his stint as A.G. at the DOinJ during 0b0z0’s regime occupation.

Robert

He is a useless piece of crap,one of my reasons for moving out of New York,over taxation,horrendous,infrastructure,compleatly run by left wing socialists who think they are above the people .I drove an over the road tractor trailer in the lower 48 states for 37 years,when I began my career it cost $6 dollars too cross the George Washington bridge in Ny that was 1978, now it cost$ovre$100 dollars good job you crooks! Keep up the good job and maybe everyone will get the hell out,while they have a chance!

Al

Good New York by gov camood (toilet) said conservatives don’t belong in NY. Than recently told the NRA insurance it was illegal to protect someone who had to defend themselves with a firearm..
Now this! If he gets voted in again, listen for the knock knock we’re here for your guns.
The dems are and have been turning NY into a communist country.
Also don’t forget Albany being a sanctuary city and making NY a sanctuary state.
Hang on boys the ride comming

Timothy Votaw

Time to force the courts to pick a side, thus showing us where they stand. This is one way to do that, but of course it costs money. I am not an NRA member, rather put my coin with GOA and Judicial Watch, but may reconsider, eat less ice cream and give up gin ‘n tonics and put the ching into a legal fund. We are being forced against the wall by these unethical, immoral and deeply unscrupulous politicians. Since the days of calling them out into the street to settle the matter are over, sadly, this is how it… Read more »

circle8

DITTO to everything being said against the NY POS.

tomcat

His daddy would be proud of him. His daddy was a commie control freak but not as open and illegal as this mobster. He seems to think he is one high ruler of the country of N.Y. and needs to be stopped short in his efforts and embarrassed into oblivion unless they can prove anything on him and lock him up in a cell with Bubba.

Sal Chichon

It would be great if ALL firearm, ammunition, and tactical gear suppliers, trainers, and maintainers stopped doing business with NY (and CA for that matter). No guns for law abiding citizens, huh? Well, that’s a two-way street, assholes.

Country Boy

what needs to be done is to run Cuomo and all the other anti 2nd A politicians out of our country at gunpoint.
If this type of anti 2nd A BS doesn’t stop, it very well may happen.

These are not politicians, they are wannbe TYRANTS. And they need to be tried, convicted and sentenced to face a firing squad

Tionico

A second lawsuit needs to be launched against all the private companies that unjustly terminated their relationships with NRA. Every one of them. this caused and continues financial hardship and direct losses for the NRA. They got threatened, sure, but they stil made the decisioni to bow and scrape to Cuomo and his gang of thugs. This stinks of former NYC mayor Sullivan’s mob tactics, including his selective “gun control” laws.. outlawing handguns, but that was only enforced against his rivals, never his own mob bruthas. It is still corruption. Make those companies pay the price for their cowardly protection… Read more »

Vanns40

Baloney, the NRA bears no responsibility for ANYTHING that results from criminal misuse of a firearm, why would they set up any fund? Sue the criminals, sue the businesses and governments that create gun free zones, sue any politician that helps enact ANY legislation that hinders law abiding citizens from being armed anywhere at anytime.

Laddyboy

Vanns40: I agreed!! Hold EVERY institution responsible for injuries incurred while on their properties when they put a sign that states in any wording that guns are not allowed.

Walter Bazner

Start by boycotting these so called insurance companies and New York period.

Walter Bazner

This guy is nothing but a wanta be thus!!! Anti Constitution asswipe

Janek

Glad to see NRA reining in the ‘Greater Cuomo’. Who’s been keeping an eye on his brother, AKA the ‘Lesser Cuomo’? LOL

Terry

Let’s ask, Seth if the democrates and Russians are buddies?
Oh wait they silenced Seth permanently. I’ll bet cuomo,killary,obama and the rest all have hammer and sickle and 1/4 moon tats. Their plan is make America weak. No face, build the wall, heck build 2 north and south. Pray for America, keep your powder dry, support Trump.
Semper Fi!

Omay

cuomo is a vile control freak. He is now being investigated by the US attorney for campaign contributions from 10 members of a large health care company that received millions in NY state aid. 8 of the 10 contributors never
before donated to any campaign before. They gave him $25,000 each.
In NY, no organization gets a grant without cuomo’s ok.

Samuel Price

Cuomo, is an idiot and lawless politician, he should be in jail in a cell with big bubba, he is a lawless asshole who thinks he can impose HIS WILL on law abiding citizens, it’s time to vote’m out and lock’em up, Cuomo and people like him are trying there best to destroy America, without a doubt
they are DOMESTIC TERRORIST, they are the biggest threat to America and our Freedom.

LB

Cuomo is a f**ing Fascist. Another example of the scum of the DemoRats.

Tionico

Yup. Fascism defined: government contro of proivate means ofproduction. Here we have gummit telling banks, insurance, etc (private means of production) what they may/mayn’t do, and whom they may/mayn’t serve. That IS fascism. It is interesting, for the first time ever we see NRA taking legal action on something other than Second Ammendment issues: they are suing because of the violation of their FIRST Ammendment rights to speak and associate freely. TheSecond is only the side issue here. This is good to see. Cuomo is still a government official, and is instigating this nonsense. That puts him in the crosshairs.… Read more »

rich

People DON’T VOTE, This is what you get . There are enough gun owners in New York State to never elect people like this from EVER getting into office, BUT they DON’T VOTE. SAD SAD SAD.

Gary

I’ve been saying that same thing for years, bother. We need to all do our best to encourage others (shame them if necessary :>) ) to get out and vote! We recently had an election in Illinois for Governor (primary) and the better candidate lost by LESS THAN one vote per precinct! God Bless!!

Terry

But they may vote, we just might be un-aware of how deep the liberals and mob, has infiltrated New york State,Counties and city goverment. After all ole killary was there, she had ties to the Russians(uranium one), rember the button push, resetting ties with Russia for her and obama. I would guess all major cities run by democrates are fixed all the way through, and the Russians had help getting into all by killary and obama.

richard enright

Wow, I thought that picture was a photo of Al Pacino–the Godfater. Say hello to my little friends

Rock

That ASSHOLE needs a Columbian necktie.

Frank

This guy’s a real meatball who should be investigated. No doubt he’s dirty.

Al

Cuomo is as sleazy as they come when you look at the whole family they must feel like Capone in Chicago.they long ago sold out their soul to the forces of evil and as such will one day face a supreme judge that knows all your secrets ,hopefully they have not banned smoking it may give them some experience before they get before him.

Daryl

Good, I will reconsider sending money to support the NRA. I stopped when Wayne LaPierre gave away my Bump Fire stocks to easily. Now Rick Scott has taken them away in Florida. Two people I was counting on to protect my rights have also gone to the extreme Left to chip away at gun owners rights.
NRA and Republican Govenors like Rick Scott need to take care of their members and Republican voters first. This lawsuit is a start to reastablising trust among supporters.

Gary

I know how you feel. But, we can’t throw the baby out with the bath water. As gun owners, we all have to stick together for the good of all. The worst thing that can happen is for us to become fragmented and we will lose all our rights for sure! Hang in there!

Missouri Born

The NRA needs to do some backround investigation on Cuomo and they will most likely find some nasty dirt on the guy after all he is a politician.

Joseph Rodrigues

Cuomo looks like someone who’d be in the MOB.

bud

I think where the word “thug” is listed in the dictionary Cuomo’s picture is there as the definition.

Harvey Keck

It’s about time we started cracking down on all abuses of power by politicians and civil servants. Those people are paid out of OUR earned income. We do not pay them to take “ego trips” by such an outrage as this by Cuomo, who thinks his personal hatred of guns entitles him to pervert the powers of his office to undermine the Constitutional rights of every American.

An angry farmer

NY is so anti gun that part of the “SafeAct” is registration of pistol permit holders and publishing their address like a sex offender or hit list.

Cuomo will be running for president. Know what is coming to your doorstep in a few years.

Larry

That’s how he passed the Safe Act bills back room laws

Marc DV.

Hope They Take Him to The Cleaners !