FOR THE RECORD
NRA Responds to Court Ruling, Continues With “Vigorous Defense”
September 29, 2022 – As reported by Law 360, “A New York state judge in Manhattan said it's too soon to rule out an independent compliance monitor as a potential remedy in state Attorney General Letitia James' financial probe of the National Rifle Association, rejecting the gun organization's bid to dismiss newly added claims.”
Justice Joel M. Cohen of New York County Supreme Court issued his decision from the bench, keeping intact the latest version of James’ August 2020 lawsuit against the NRA. Earlier this year, in March 2022, the NRA scored a major legal victory, as the court struck the NYAG's claims to dissolve the Association. That ruling confirmed the NYAG cannot shut down the NRA or seize its assets.
The NYAG’s amended complaint was filed two months after that decision. In its place, the attorney general added a new request for relief – asking that an independent compliance monitor and a governance expert be appointed to oversee the organization.
Importantly, Justice Cohen noted that his denial of the NRA’s motion does not mean that he would grant such relief.
“Whether the [monitorship] relief will be appropriate is an entirely different story,” he said.
“Today’s developments have no immediate impact on the Association or its defense of this lawsuit,” says William A. Brewer III, counsel to the NRA. “Having dismissed the Attorney General’s dissolution claims, the NRA now sought dismissal of additional claims by Attorney General James. Of course, the Association will continue to vigorously defend itself.”
The NRA argues that it has demonstrated a commitment to good governance and believes that the NYAG’s case was part of a political vendetta. NYAG James famously vowed to “target the NRA” and “investigate the legitimacy of the NRA as a charitable organization” while on the campaign trail in July 2018 – before spending even one day in office and without any evidence of wrongdoing.
She filed a lawsuit in August 2020 seeking to shut down the Association. In 2021, Attorney General James again touted her work to “eliminate the NRA” as a reason New Yorkers should elect her as governor.