NRA Drops Federal Case Against NY AG

The National Rifle Association voluntarily dismissed its case against NY Attorney General Letitia James in US District Court for the Northern District of New York. This case was filed virtually immediately after James filed for dissolution of the NRA in state court. The suit had accused James of violating the NRA’s First and 14th Amendment rights to free speech.

William Brewer III had this to say in a statement regarding the move to voluntarily dismiss the case.

Dropping the Albany case “will ensure that the NRA’s claims proceed promptly to discovery and a full vindication of its members’ rights,” NRA lawyer William Brewer said in a statement.

It didn’t take long for James to respond with a public statement.

“The NRA dropping its countersuit today in federal court is an implicit admission that their strategy would never prevail. The truth is that Wayne LaPierre and his lieutenants used the NRA as a breeding ground for personal gain and a lavish lifestyle. We were victorious against the organization’s attempt to declare bankruptcy, and our fight for transparency and accountability will continue because no one is above the law.”

Given that Brewer and his firm were the architects of this legal strategy which they are now abandoning, it would be nice if they returned the money spent on legal fees for this case to the NRA.

We all know that will never happen. What it does underscore is how much money the NRA has wasted on legal fees paid to Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors, with nothing to show for it. Whether it was the suit against San Francisco, the bankruptcy case, and now this, the only winner was Brewer.