NRA’s LaPierre responds to NY lawsuit: ‘Bring it on’

The National Rifle Association (NRA) CEO Wayne LaPierre said the gun rights group is ready for the fight following the announcement of a lawsuit from the New York attorney general seeking to dissolve it.

In his first statement on the lawsuit on Thursday, LaPierre called New York Attorney General Letitia James’s (D) actions “an affront to democracy and freedom.”

“This is an unconstitutional, premeditated attack aiming to dismantle and destroy the NRA – the fiercest defender of America’s freedom at the ballot box for decades,” he said. “The NRA is well governed, financially solvent, and committed to good governance. We’re ready for the fight. Bring it on.”

(2/2) The NRA is well governed, financially solvent, and committed to good governance. We’re ready for the fight. Bring it on.”

— NRA (@NRA) August 6, 2020

James’s civil suit alleges that the NRA violated state law governing nonprofit organizations, contributing to a loss of more $64 million over three years, and that the group and four of its top officials, including LaPierre, diverted millions of dollars away from its charitable mission.

NRA President Carolyn Meadows commented earlier on Thursday, saying the organization would prevail in fighting the lawsuit.

“This was a baseless, premeditated attack on our organization and the Second Amendment freedoms it fights to defend,” she said.

President Trump, a vocal NRA defender, on Thursday suggested in response to the lawsuit that the NRA relocate to Texas, calling the lawsuit a “very terrible thing.” 

The organization is currently headquartered in Fairfax, Va., but is chartered as a nonprofit in New York state.