Judge Rules NRA Organization Won’t be Dissolved, but NY’s Lawsuit’s Not Over Yet

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New York – -(Ammoland.com)- The judge in the NY suit against the NRA has taken dissolution of the Association off the table, saying that “the Complaint does not allege the type of public harm that is the legal linchpin for imposing the ‘corporate death penalty.’” The judge also dismissed a couple of the charges against NRA and its leadership, which he said were redundant.

To hear the NRA spin it, you’d think the judge had dismissed the case completely, vindicating Wayne LaPierre and all involved. That’s not even close to the case.

Judge Rules NRA Won’t be Dissolved, NRA Response 3-4-2022
Judge Rules NRA Won’t be Dissolved, NRA Response 3-4-2022

As I have reported from the beginning of this case, New York AG Letitia James has made no secret of the fact that she hates the NRA, calling it a “terrorist organization” and vowing to take it down, even as she was campaigning for her current office, and then encouraging banks and financial institutions to refuse to do business with the Association. There was never any question that her investigation of the NRA was politically motivated. Unfortunately, just because her motives were bad, doesn’t mean that her findings are false.

While NRA “leaders” have been claiming, as they did again in the press release announcing this “Major Victory Over Letitia James,” that the whole thing was, and is, just a politically motivated smear campaign with no substance to it. The facts say differently. In fact, their own testimony in depositions in this case and testimony and depositions in other cases, says exactly the opposite. As a matter of fact, a significant amount of Letitia James’ case against NRA and its “leaders,” is based on their own sworn statements.

Read my past articles about this mess, where I spell out much of the damning details. Read the Complaint and Amended Complaint from the NY AG’s office. Read the synopses and expert analysis at the very timely NRA in Danger blog, and the stories and documents they reference. Even read the attack stories at Mike Bloomberg’s anti-gun propaganda rag, The Trace. While they often put the worst possible spin on the news they report about the NRA, they generally cite sources, and their information about the situation in the NRA is generally very accurate and verifiable.

So don’t take anyone’s word about any of this. Go to the source. Read the facts. Understand that hatred of NRA spins those facts in one direction, but many of the key players – including LaPierre himself – have a whole lot to lose if LaPierre falls, so they have strong motivation to keep spinning the facts in a different direction. You’re smart enough to see through the spin from both sides if you’ll only try.

It’s definitely a relief to have the judge confirm that he’s not going to grant Letitia James’ desire to see the NRA as an organization dissolved, but this thing’s not over by a long shot.

The suit is still moving forward, and the only thing this week’s order means is that direct dissolution by the court is not a possible result. That doesn’t mean that the Association can’t be bankrupted by legal fees, fines, and penalties. Contrary to the claims of the NRA’s attorney, and the President of the Board of Directors, the NRA’s not strong and in control. It’s gushing cash into that attorney’s pockets – to the tune of close to $40 million a year – while seriously neglecting core missions, running on a skeleton staff, and struggling with collapsing donations and plummeting membership numbers. Thousands of NRA members have declared “Not one more dime until LaPierre is gone,” and many have let their membership drop with the same sentiment.

On top of that, there’s another lawsuit pending that could have major ramifications. As I pointed out in a recent article, the DC Attorney General is suing the NRA Foundation for misappropriation of funds. Primarily, he’s pointing to the millions of dollars that have gone from the Foundation into the coffers of the NRA. Though the DC suit isn’t calling for the dissolution of the Foundation or anything as drastic as that, it is calling for oversight of Foundation funds, and for the Foundation to actively work to recoup the funds he says were misappropriated. That could mean the Foundation could be forced to sue the NRA for as much as $400 million dollars, which would, of course, be devastating.

Between the exorbitant lawyer fees, potential fines and penalties from the New York Suit, and the possibility of a devastating restitution suit from the NRA Foundation, the NRA might not survive, even though the NY court isn’t going to order that it be dissolved. As they say, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and there are a number of sharp knives circling the NRA.

If only the NRA Board of Directors would take their positions seriously and clean house, as they should have done two years ago, the Association could begin rebuilding and recovering. Instead, like some abused wives, they keep making excuses for their abuser and clinging to him. The judge appears to be familiar with that syndrome, so let’s hope he punishes the guilty, and their enablers, and preserves the Association for the members.

Only time will tell.


About Jeff Knox:

Jeff Knox is a second-generation political activist and director of The Firearms Coalition. His father Neal Knox led many of the early gun rights battles for your right to keep and bear arms. Read Neal Knox – The Gun Rights War.

The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition has offices in Buckeye, Arizona and Manassas, VA. Visit: www.FirearmsCoalition.org.

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Chuck

There needs to be some serious House Cleaning from the top on down. I don’t want to see the NRA fail, but they’re going to have to get their schitt together. There’s too many good things the NRA does, training, certification, Eddie Eagle and the other education programs to let all that fall by the wayside, and the other Gun Rights Organizations are not ready to fill the void with these programs, yet, if the NRA gets deep sixed. Yes, they’ve got problems, and if that means some people need to go, then let’s get it over with and do… Read more »

Aardvark

Living in New York, Letitia James is “my” AG. I didn’t vote for her and I am not fond of how she has politicized the office. And while her motives for going after the NRA were political, there is definitely criminality involved so she is correct despite her motives. As the saying goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

masterlifter

#1 This NY AG is not our friend in ANY way. However the NRA is our friend in too many ways to count. #2 Wayne La Pierre is a lightning rod that has been harming the NRA’s stature for some time now. Time to address this sooner rather than later. #3 If the NRA goes away then the “Lefties” will just start hammering on the the other 2A Orgs. As it currently stands the NRA is a useful buffer against the anti-2A mob focusing their money and efforts on the rest of the “2A Lobby”. #4 If the NRA prevails… Read more »

john

New York State Home of the liberal socialist democratic movement with its sister state California. What happens in both these states as far as policies developed in the legal system spills over into all other democratic states. If they can make it stick then it will happen elsewhere. The Proving Grounds

Watch um

To The writer of this article, as the old southern saying goes “well bless your heart” And in plan English, kiss my ass, your daddy wanted to run the NRA and got kicked out. I don’t know all the bad things about the Executive vice president of the NRA but I know he has been able to receive millions of dollars in funds for the NRA. Yes it very well may be time for Wayne to step down, but I will not cut and run from the NRA as many carpetbaggers have. And as another old saying goes “put that… Read more »