Jan. 5 (UPI) — Executives of the National Rifle Association are going to trial in New York, nearly four years after state Attorney General Letitia James filed suit accusing the group of corrupt activities by using NRA funds to pay for expensive trips and other lavish items.
Opening arguments in the trial, which is expected to last six weeks, are scheduled for Monday after jury selection began this week.
Filed in 2020, the suit accuses NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, who has led the organization for over 30 years, of using the NRA as a “personal piggy bank.”
The state’s complaint cites “dozens of examples where the four individual defendants failed to fulfill their fiduciary duty to the NRA and used millions upon millions from NRA reserves for personal use, including trips for them and their families to the Bahamas, private jets, expensive meals, and other private travel.”
James seeks the ouster of LaPierre and the three other executives — Wilson Phillips, John Frazer and Joshua Powell — as part of the case against the NRA.
In January 2021, the NRA attempted to file for bankruptcy, but a federal judge in Texas dismissed the request four months later.
Repeated attempts to throw out New York’s legal charges ultimately failed. The NRA claimed the charges against them were politically motivated by James, a Democrat, and her office.
“The trial will rest on the merits rather than a war of words between the NRA and the New York attorney general,” Judge Joel Cohen said in a June 2023 ruling against the NRA claim the lawsuit was politically charged.
The recent Dec. 28 ruling upheld by the New York Court of Appeals said the NRA trial was able to go on and that James’ office was justified in its pursuit due to “ample evidence of malfeasance” in a “lengthy, detailed complaint” by the state’s Attorney General.
The decision said the state “showed as a matter of law that it had probable cause to investigate and sue the NRA.” Notably, the ruling went on to add the NRA failed to “affirmatively argue that the NYAG lacked probable cause” to pursue legal charges.
A 2023 Pew Research Center study suggests 6 in 10 adults believe gun violence is a significant problem in the United States, a 9-point increase from 2022. For decades the NRA has spent tens of millions of dollars to elect candidates who support gun rights, and on aggressive lobbying efforts in opposition to gun control measures and legislation.
Since 2018, reportedly over 1 million members have fled NRA rank-and-file yet the organization reported the same year it was still 6 million members strong. But LaPierre went on to state in a 2021 legal deposition NRA membership was under 4.9 million. In addition, CBS reported NRA revenue saw a 23% drop in 2020 — the year the NRA lawsuit first began — from $367 million in 2016 down to $282 million.
