New York AG James Suit to Dissolve NRA Met with Countersuit

Any questions on what Letitia James has planned for your guns once she eliminates the political opposition? (New York State Attorney General/Facebook)

U.S.A. – -(Ammoland.com)- “New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit seeking to dissolve the National Rifle Association (NRA), the largest and most influential pro-gun organization in the nation,” the AG’s office announced in a Thursday press release. “Attorney General James charges the organization with illegal conduct because of their diversion of millions of dollars away from the charitable mission of the organization for personal use by senior leadership, awarding contracts to the financial gain of close associates and family, and appearing to dole out lucrative no-show contracts to former employees in order to buy their silence and continued loyalty.”

Specifically named in the lawsuit are Executive Vice-President Wayne LaPierre, former Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Wilson “Woody” Phillips, former Chief of Staff and the Executive Director of General Operations Joshua Powell, and Corporate Secretary and General Counsel John Frazer. All are alleged to have failed in their duties to manage Association funds and “failing to follow numerous state and federal laws,” supposedly resulting in losses of more than $64 million.

As a side note, it will be interesting to note who could have been charged but has not been. A tip from a credible source from a year ago told me “a highly placed NRA exec has been offered immunity by the New York AG” but I have not been able to document it. Perhaps as this story unfolds we will find out if there was any basis for the tip.

Such politically-motivated action on the part of James has not been unexpected. This diverts NRA focus and resources away from the November election at a time when both are most needed if the Democrat agenda against the right to keep and bear arms is to be effectively politically opposed. It’s no accident that the timing coincides with the Manhattan District Attorney is making headlines investigating President Donald Trump for “criminal conduct” related to his and the Trump organization’s personal and corporate tax returns.

In short, this is war, and the intent is for Democrats to rule in November, at which point the party’s agenda on guns will be unleashed with a vengeance. James is one of the players in that effort, as evidenced by her going after 16 gun companies for allegedly “violating” the state’s “ghost gun” laws, and then refusing to publicly identify who she was threatening (Disclosure: My FOIL appeal was rejected where I argued that transparency of government actions against gun companies is in the public interest, and I do not have the resources to challenge New York in court.)

Many, including gun owners and NRA members like myself, will note that in many ways NRA has brought this down upon itself. It also shows why I’ve maintained LaPierre is hanging on for dear life in spite of calls for his resignation before members will donate any more money. There’s no way he can front the legal bills he’ll be incurring on his own.

We’ll now get a chance to see for ourselves how high-powered the NRA’s top lawyer, William Brewer, a Democrat, really is. A statement just released by NRA on Twitter gives us an idea of the legal strategy he will pursue.

“This was a baseless, premeditated attack on our organization and the Second Amendment freedoms it fights to defend,” NRA responded. “You could have set your watch by it: the investigation was going to reach its crescendo as we move into the 2020 election cycle.

“It’s a transparent attempt to score political points and attack the leading voice in opposition to the leftist agenda,” the response continued. “This has been a power grab by a political opportunist – a desperate move that is part of a rank political vendetta.

“Our members won’t be intimidated or bullied in their defense of political and constitutional freedom,” the statement concluded. “As evidenced by the lawsuit filed by the NRA today against the NY AG, we not only will not shrink from this fight – we will confront it and prevail.”

We shall see.  By circling the wagons around Wayne LaPierre and his questionable leadership, and by controlling the board of directors and repelling attempts to reform things, finding members willing to donate to these legal actions may prove to be the biggest challenge.

BREAKING UPDATE: Karl A. Racine, Attorney General for the District of Columbia, announced a lawsuit Friday against the NRA Foundation.


About David Codrea:David Codrea

David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating/defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament. He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” is a regularly featured contributor to Firearms News, and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.

10 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Larry

You can tell it’s politically motivated, because instead of looking for justice for the defrauded membership, she’s looking to further harm the victimized members.

If the management of Planned Parenthood had committed this type of fraud, she’d be looking to shut down their entire organization — right?

Random71

Thats how you know the corruption is real they didnt get their cut, so now they will take as much as they can. Civil asset forfeiture all day long. Not a peep on cash back to the people ever. I can hear it now “We considered refunds but they would be spent on *Gasp* Assault Weapons of War!!!! So now we will try to ban revolvers.” Whilst they clutch their pearls so hard they shatter. Nope, totally clean, they kick the fragrant grease the right way. Besides it fits the eugenic theories cooked up by taking Darwin to the maximum,… Read more »

Dubi Loo

Begs the interesting question why is she going after them civilly? In her suit she cites several crimes but ignores the criminal justice system–WHY???

Finnky

@David – Regarding your rejected FOI request, have you considered appealing to other civil rights organizations for assistance? You have a legitimate request for info which is being hidden in what appears to be blatantly political machinations- and which (to my legally untrained eye) appears to be covered by FOIA. While they decidedly lean left, ACLU generally supports protecting civil rights from government overreach. Perhaps they would be willing to provide some legal assistance? I for one always appreciate left and right teaming up to restrain bad actors in the government. No mistake – James is a bad actor. Highly… Read more »

Gomezaddams51

As long as the liberal idiots are focused on the NRA, this gives the other stronger pro-gun groups a chance to work without being attacked by the idiots. So you go NRA, keep the idiots busy….

JIAZ

Join and support your State and Local level Pro-2A organizations and groups. Don’t depend on any national organization to come to the rescue. First and foremost, prepare to defend your home turf.

https://www.americancontingency.com/

https://azcdl.org/

Alan in NH

The NRA has problems true, but that’s OUR problem not the government’s. Not their business. Gun control is a losing issue for democRATS and that is more true now than ever before. From a Life Patron.

uncle dudley

Whether you like or dislike the NRA because of WLP it’s not the issue here to me, this is about taking guns by attempting to bankrupt the NRA and stop the largest gun owner organization in the country that has power. If this attorney general can squash a five million person organization and further their cause, what other groups will be next for them to go after? The liberals say the gun crime in our country is because the NRA is so strong, yet the members aren’t the one’s who are doing the criminal acts. Once this court action is… Read more »

Dubi Loo

The court action will take years to resolve. I’m not willing to wait, WLP needs to go; he needs to go today!