New York Attorney General Wants To Dissolve The NRA & Says It's “Fraught With Fraud”

A new lawsuit filed by AG Letitia James claims that CEO Wayne LaPierre and other top executives were “grossly misusing” funds for private jets, luxury safari trips, and club memberships.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announces lawsuit against the NRA on Thursday | Getty Images
New York Attorney General Letitia James announces lawsuit against the NRA on Thursday | Getty Images

New York’s Attorney General is seeking to dissolve the National Rifle Association (NRA) following an investigation that found the powerful gun rights group is “abusing its powers” and “grossly misusing” funds.

Attorney General Letitia James (D) filed a lawsuit Thursday against the nonprofit organization, which is registered in New York, after an 18-month investigation found its senior officials allegedly misused funds and violated federal and state laws, which led to nearly $64 million in losses over three years The tax-exempt non-profit has allegedly conducted business in a “persistently fraudulent or illegal manner,” according to the 139-page suit.

On Thursday, President Trump told reporters that the news of the lawsuit is a “very terrible thing that just happened.”

“I think the NRA should move to Texas and lead a very good and beautiful life,” Trump said. “And I told them that for a long time… This has been going on for a long time, they’ve been absolutely decimated by the cost of that lawsuit, and it’s very sad.”

NRA President Carolyn Meadows said in a statement that the lawsuit is a “baseless, premeditated attack on our organization and the Second Amendment freedoms it fights to defend.”

Separately, Washington D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine filed a lawsuit against the NRA and the NRA Foundation on Thursday for “misusing charitable funds to support wasteful spending.” That lawsuit claims its foundation was controlled by the NRA, allowing the organization to “exploit” the foundation for millions of dollars in unpaid loans.

The Attorney General’s Office in D.C. is seeking to refund the foundation and mandate the foundation will “operate independently” going forward.

Private Jets & Luxury African Safaris


During a press conference Thursday, James said that the NRA “fostered a culture of non-compliance” and that senior leaders “blatantly ignored” policies required by a not-for-profit in the state of New York.

“The NRA’s influence has been so powerful that the organization went unchecked for decades while top executives funneled millions into their own pockets,” James said. “The NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse, which is why, today, we seek to dissolve the NRA, because no organization is above the law.”

James also focused her comments on NRA CEO and Vice President Wayne LaPierre, who is named as a defendant in the suit.

James said LaPierre allegedly used millions of dollars of organization money for “personal benefit” including the use of a private jet. The suit claims LaPierre used the jet to fly his family to the Bahamas at least eight times over a three-year period, which cost more than $500,000, as well as for other trips where LaPierre was sometimes not present. The suit also claims LaPierre was given the use of a yacht and complimentary “luxury” safaris in Africa by NRA vendors.

James said LaPierre spent $3.6 million on travel services in the last two years and secured a $17 million post-employment deal without board approval. She also alleged that LaPierre was reimbursed more than $1.2 million over a four-year period for expenditures including gifts to favorite members and family, private club membership fees for hotels and golf clubs, among other expenses.

Top NRA Brass Under Fire


The other defendants in the suit are former CFO Wilson “Woody” Phillips (who was once caught embezzling money before joining the NRA), Secretary and General Counsel John Frazer, and former Chief of Staff Joshua Powell, who was let go in February over sexual harassment allegations.

James also claimed that LaPierre would retaliate against board members who attempted to challenge his “illegal behavior.”

“For these years of fraud and misconduct, we are seeking an order to dissolve the NRA in its entirety,” James said. “To require Mr. LaPierre, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Powell, and Mr. Frazer to make full restitution for funds they unlawfully profited and salaries they earned while [employees].”

James said the state also seeks to remove LaPierre and Frazer from NRA leadership and ensure that none of the four men can serve on the board of a charity in New York State.

Intense Litigation Of Gun Rights Group


According to the Attorney General office, the NRA has operated as a New York-registered 501(c)(4) not-for-profit, charitable corporation since 1871. The lawsuit is a civil complaint instead of a criminal suit because of the nature of the non-profit organization, according to James.

The organization has been embroiled in legal troubles over the last few years, hemorrhaging money for litigation. The organization has been in a legal battle with its former public relations firm Ackerman McQueen, with both parties filing multiple suits.

According to Federal Election Commission Data, the NRA spent more than $30 million toward the Trump campaign in 2016. Republican leaders have historically benefitted from contributions from the NRA, leading to pro-gun policies despite the staggering numbers of mass shootings in the U.S.