The NRA May Be Just Months Away From Dissolution

     Almost exactly a year ago, New York Attorney General Letitia James, who became a household name in politics for becoming perhaps the biggest thorn in Donald Trump's side and for putting the nails in the coffin of Andrew Cuomo's career, picked another titanic target: the National Rifle Association. This is the single largest gun lobbying group in America, buying off politicians big and small to defeat everything from major gun law overhauls to even bipartisan gun safety measures with ads and endorsements catering to their trigger-happy following of buffoons.

     Former CEO Wayne LaPierre and numerous other officials in the group-- including the treasurer, CFO, executive vice president, and general counsel-- engaged in gross and pervasive financial misconduct, according to Attorney General James, by siphoning nearly $65 million for personal use in just three years, or more than 10 percent of the group's income. The NRA claimed they were being persecuted for their political views, were the victims of a predatory lender that is seeking to foreclose their assets, and that they wanted to file for bankruptcy so they could continue their "mission" by reorganizing in Texas, out of New York's jurisdiction. They filed a countersuit when Attorney General James filed her suit, claiming that her reference to the NRA as a "terrorist group" was defamation. Piece by piece, the NRA's case has fallen apart.

     On January 21st, 2021, the lawsuit was allowed to go ahead by Judge Joel Cohen, preventing the NRA from moving the case to federal court or dismissing it on a technicality. On May 11th, 2021, the NRA lost their bid to file for bankruptcy to avoid facing further scrutiny when a federal bankruptcy judge in Texas ruled they filed the bid in "bad faith." On June 4th, 2021, the NRA dropped their countersuit against Letitia James, affirming that their case was never a viable one. The case will continue this autumn, and we are bound to see the biggest blow to the gun lobby in 25 years whether or not Congress acts.