The NRA has finally shaken off a politically motivated legal assault from New York’s far-left Attorney General Letitia James. For four long years, James tried to use her position to dismantle the nation’s oldest and most effective defender of the Second Amendment. But like so many Democratic overreaches, her crusade ended in failure.
This week, New York Supreme Court Justice Joel Cohen pulled the plug on James’ case, which aimed to shut down the NRA altogether. While James managed to score a few minor wins, like forcing former Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre to pay $4 million in fines for questionable spending, her ultimate goal of destroying the NRA and gutting gun rights went up in smoke. NRA CEO Doug Hamlin summed it up best: “It’s over.”
Now that the NRA is free from this legal quagmire, Hamlin says the group can get back to focusing on what it does best: defending your gun rights and providing vital education and training programs. Hamlin, who took over after LaPierre stepped down earlier this year, is wasting no time in revitalizing the organization. With millions of new gun owners—especially women and minorities—the NRA is ramping up its outreach and education efforts, including programs like Eddie Eagle for kids and Women on Target for female gun enthusiasts.
There’s also a big push for national concealed carry reciprocity, a long-overdue reform that would allow Americans to carry their firearms across state lines without running afoul of draconian local laws. Under President-elect Donald Trump and a Republican Congress, Hamlin is optimistic that this legislation will finally gain traction. “We’ll be very active on the Hill,” Hamlin said, signaling that the NRA is ready to flex its political muscle once again.
BREAKING: NRA Successfully Resolves Longstanding Legal Battle with New York Attorney General
https://t.co/9aetSDNLFf pic.twitter.com/pTus580G5E
— NRA (@NRA) December 11, 2024
NRA President Bob Barr didn’t hold back in celebrating this victory. “The NYAG sought to shut us down and appoint outsiders to oversee this historic organization. Fortunately for freedom lovers everywhere, this politically motivated attempt failed.”
And let’s be clear: James’ attack on the NRA wasn’t about corruption or transparency. If Democrats cared about transparency, they’d be investigating Hunter Biden’s laptop or Kamala Harris’ ties to bail funds for rioters. This was about dismantling the most powerful defender of gun rights in the country. It was about silencing the millions of Americans who believe in the right to bear arms and who see through the left’s gun control agenda.
But the NRA is still standing, and it’s stronger than it’s been in years. Hamlin says the organization is adding staff for the first time since the pandemic, reinvesting in competitive shooting, youth safety programs, and grassroots activism. The NRA is ready to fight, and with Trump back in the White House come January, it’s a great time to be a gun owner in America.
