New York sues to break up the NRA
“My office filed a lawsuit against the National Rifle Association to dissolve the organization in its entirety.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday sued the NRA, alleging senior leaders of the non-profit group diverted millions of dollars for personal use.
She also alleged leaders bought the silence of former employees.
“This lawsuit specifically charges the NRA as a whole, in addition to four individual defendants... These individuals in the NRA are charged with failing to manage the NRA’s funds, and failing to follow numerous state and federal laws which contributed to the loss of more than $64 million in just three years.”
Executive vice-president Wayne LaPierre is one of the four senior executives named in the lawsuit.
“He visited the Bahamas by private air charter at least eight times... He traveled on multiple luxury hunting safaris in Africa... In the past two years alone, Mr. LaPierre spent more than 3.6 million on these travel agent services.”
The NRA - with headquarters located just west of Washington, DC - is subject to New York law because it is registered there as a non-profit.
Thursday’s confrontation pits James, a Democrat, against the largest and most powerful gun organization in the U.S - one that is closely aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump's Republican Party.
Trump on Thursday said the organization should simply pull up stakes:
"I think the NRA should move to Texas and lead a very good and beautiful life. And I've told them that for a long time. I think they should move to Texas. Texas would be a great place - or to another state of their choosing."
The NRA called the lawsuit a "baseless, premeditated attack" and a "power grab" tied to the Nov. 3 U.S. election.
