NRA Challenges Andrew Cuomo in Court

The National Rifle Association of America has filed a lawsuit against the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and DFSSuperintendent Maria T. Vullo alleging violations of the Association’s First Amendment rights.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, contends that Cuomo, Vullo and the DFS engaged in a “campaign of selective prosecution, backroom exhortations and public threats” designed to coerce banks and insurance companies to withhold services from the NRA. 

The NRA argues that such tactics overstep the DFS’ regulatory mandate and, moreover, seek to suppress the speech of Second Amendment supporters and retaliate against the Association and others for their political advocacy. 

“Political differences aside, our client believes the tactics employed by these public officials are aimed to deprive the NRA of its First Amendment right to speak freely about gun-related issues and in defense of the Second Amendment,” said William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and counsel to the NRA