NY Attorney General moves to dissolve 'illegal' gun-rights group, Internet says 'NRA is not the 2nd Amendment'
Shortly after New York Attorney General filed a suit to dissolve the National Rifle Association (NRA), several on social media welcomed the decision and many went on to state how the "NRA is not the 2nd Amendment." New York AG Letitia James, on Thursday, August 6, filed a lawsuit after an 18-month investigation, which concluded that the powerful gun-rights group is "fraught with fraud and abuse."
James reportedly found misconduct of millions of dollars and took to Twitter to state that the organization contributed to a loss of over $64 million over a three year period. According to the suit, top NRA executives misused charitable funds for personal gain and gave contracts to friends and family members. An attempt to dissolve the NRA, which also has the support of President Donald Trump and top Republicans, is the most aggressive sanction sought against the organization by James. The NRA, however, is expected to contest the suit. "I filed a lawsuit to dissolve the National Rifle Association for years of self-dealing and illegal conduct. The @NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse. No organization is above the law," James wrote on Twitter.
President Trump also remarked on the decision, saying the lawsuit against the NRA was a "very terrible thing." The Republican leader also added: "I think the NRA should move to Texas and lead a very good and beautiful life," according to BBC.
The decision, however, was welcomed by social media users, with many saying that the US does not need the NRA. "Our country doesn't need the NRA. There are plenty of countries that have reasonable/responsible gun ownership situations without a corrupt gun lobby. Not having a powerful exploitative group worsening the situation allows them to prevent the carnage we see in America," one user wrote.
There were others who tried to explain to others outraged by the news that the NRA is not synonymous with the 2nd Amendment.
"The NRA is NOT the 2nd Amendment The 2nd Amendment is personal ownership of a firearm The NRA is a corrupt organization funneling money If you think the two are the same, you are probably an idiot," one Twitter user wrote. The fact that so many ppl directly associate the NRA with the 2nd Amendment is a huge problem. They are being sued for violating the laws regarding their non-profit status. It has absolutely nothing to do with the 2nd Amendment," one more added.
While another said: "The #NRA is NOT the 2nd Amendment. No one is taking away anyone's guns. It's about corruption and money. Dems carry guns, too so the "they're going after our 2nd Amendment rights" is an invalid argument."
A veteran also gave his views on the issue, writing: "I'm an old veteran. I own my fair share of firearms. I train regularly. I'm a firm believer in the original intent of the 2nd Amendment. Neither the NRA nor the Republican Party represents any rational understanding of the 2nd Amendment. The @NRA are crooks working for the @GOP."
James, in a press conference on Thursday, also slammed the influence of the NRA and talked of corruption within the organization. "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 in a statement. "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."
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