Sixteen Republican state attorneys general support the National Rifle Association (NRA) in its legal battle against New York Attorney General Letitia James, who seeks to dissolve the gun rights group.
The GOP attorneys general, led by Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York—backing an NRA lawsuit against James, saying she’s seeking to crush the advocacy group’s First Amendment rights.
“New York’s lawsuit is a political stunt by a liberal attorney general who promised in her campaign to go after the NRA. It is designed to undermine our Second Amendment right,” Rutledge said in a statement.
“I repeat my invitation to the NRA: The Natural State would happily welcome an organization that fights for the Second Amendment rights of Arkansans and all Americans,” she added.
James sued the NRA last August, seeking to dissolve the gun advocacy group over alleged financial irregularities and corruption among the group’s executives.
“We are seeking to dissolve the NRA for years of self-dealing and illegal conduct that violate New York’s charities laws and undermine its own mission. The NRA diverted millions of dollars away from its charitable mission for personal use by senior leadership,” she stated.
Shortly after, the NRA filed a lawsuit of their own, accusing James of attempting to trample the group’s right to free speech to score political points and fulfill a campaign promise.