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New York Sues to Dissolve the NRA

State attorney general Letitia James alleges widespread fraud
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 6, 2020 10:47 AM CDT
New York Sues to Dissolve the NRA
A file photo of New York State Attorney General Letitia James.   (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

New York's attorney general filed a lawsuit Thursday that calls for the dissolution of the NRA. Letitia James sued the National Rifle Association, seeking to put the powerful gun advocacy organization out of business over allegations that high-ranking executives diverted millions of dollars for lavish personal trips, no-show contracts for associates, and other questionable expenditures, per the AP. James’ lawsuit, filed in state court in Manhattan after an 18-month investigation, highlighted misspending and self-dealing allegations that have roiled the NRA and its longtime leader, Wayne LaPierre, in recent years—from hair and makeup for his wife to a $17 million post-employment contract for himself.

The troubles, which James said were long cloaked by loyal lieutenants and a pass-through payment arrangement with a vendor, started to come to light as the NRA’s deficit piled up and it struggled to find its footing after a spate of mass shootings eroded support for its pro-gun agenda. The organization went from a nearly $28 million surplus in 2015 to a $36 million deficit in 2018. James, a Democrat, argued that the organization’s prominence and cozy political relationships had lulled it into a sense of invincibility and enabled a culture where non-profit rules were routinely flouted and state and federal laws were violated. Even the NRA’s own bylaws and employee handbook were ignored, she said. (More NRA stories.)

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