New York Times Reports on NRA, Legal Advocacy

December 5, 2024 – The New York Times reports today, in part, about the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and its “advocacy” in defense of its independence. As many of you know, in August 2020 the New York Attorney General (NYAG) filed a “dissolution lawsuit” against Brewer client the NRA.

Amid questions about the NRA’s legal strategy, firm partner William A. Brewer III noted that Brewer, with the support of NRA leadership, helped the Association successfully “confront a barrage of blue-state regulatory investigations,” including an effort by New York regulators to eliminate the group. The NYAG’s dissolution claims against the NRA were dismissed, and her bid for a court-appointed monitor was rejected by the court earlier this year.

 Brewer told The Times:

“My firm handles bet-the-company, life or death advocacy. The NRA called and we helped them confront a barrage of blue-state regulatory investigations, a promised ‘corporate death penalty’ dissolution effort in New York, sweeping Russia-gate congressional inquiries, and a debanking effort condemned by the entire Supreme Court. Today, more than six years later, the NRA still stands – independent and free. We’re proud of that outcome, which we count as a win."

Read more here.

New York Sun Editorial Highlights NRA Legal Success

August 1, 2024 – The New York Sun published an editorial today, “New York’s Gift to the NRA,” that chronicles the “volley of victories” achieved by Brewer client, the NRA. The editorial reports that a New York judge “rebuffed the effort by Attorney General Letitia James to impose a ‘monitor’ on the NRA, which she’d earlier sought to dissolve.”

The editorial also comments on the NRA’s recent unanimous victory before the U.S. Supreme Court – in response to a financial “blacklisting campaign” undertaken by former New York state financial regulator Maria Vullo.

The Sun writes, “These victories couldn’t be more timely” as America nears the upcoming election.

Law 360 Reports on NRA Trial, Closing Arguments

February 15, 2024 -  Law360 reported on the conclusion of a six-week trial concerning the New York Attorney General Letitia James’ (NYAG) case against the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) in New York. 

The NYAG filed suit against the NRA, former CEO and Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, former CFO Wilson Phillips, General Counsel John Frazer, and former Chief of Staff Joshua Powell in August 2020, alleging defendants misspent millions of dollars and that the NRA and executives steered vendor contracts to insiders. The Brewer firm represents the NRA in the case. 

The report noted that the NRA said its board was a victim of improper spending by executives and that the Association instituted compliance reforms once that alleged misconduct came to light.

"The essence of fraud is that it's a lie. The victim doesn't know about it," Brewer Partner Sarah Rogers told the jury. "What the NRA did when it discovered the fraud was, it dug in. ... The NRA left no stone unturned."

Rogers added that the NYAG sued the NRA because she "despised" the group, and that she tried "to impose the death penalty on it and take all its money" – through a corporate dissolution claim that was dismissed in March 2022.  

Read more here.

Newsday Profiles William Brewer in Advance of New York Trial

On January 5, 2014, Newsday newspaper profiled partner William Brewer’s representation of the NRA in an article titled, “Democrat William Brewer Defends NRA in Crucial NY Lawsuit.”

Newsday editorial board member Thomas Maier wrote that Brewer is “used to the hot seat in tough cases.” The article appeared in the newspaper’s “The Point” daily newsletter feature, which takes readers “behind closed doors into the New York political scene” and aims to provide must-read, exclusive insights into local and city politics and policy.

 Trial is scheduled to begin on January 8 in the high-profile case between the New York Attorney General (NYAG) and the NRA.

“With respect to the NYAG trial, the NRA is prepared and ready,” Brewer told Newsday. “The NRA will defend its governance efforts in support of the freedoms it fights to defend.”

Maier wrote that Brewer contends the NRA is being unfairly singled out by the NYAG because of its advocacy of gun rights favored by conservatives who are her political opponents. “The NRA believes this was motivated by James’s [campaign] promise she would go after the NRA if elected,” Brewer said earlier this week in an interview with The Point.

Newsday is a daily newspaper that covers news on Long Island, New York. The publication shared some Long Island facts about Brewer in the article, including that he grew up in Baldwin, worked as a Newsday paperboy and graduated from Maria Regina Diocesan High School in Uniondale, now known as Kellenberg Memorial.

Wall Street Journal Reports on NRA Legal Victory

On March 2, 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that a state court judge dismissed the New York Attorney General’s effort to dissolve the National Rifle Association (NRA), finding that the state’s allegations did not prove the public harm required to impose a “corporate death penalty” on the NRA.

“We applaud the court’s recognition that dissolution is neither appropriate nor justified,” said William A. Brewer III, an attorney for the NRA. “We look forward to continuing the defense of the NRA—and proving that it acts in the best interests of its members and the Second Amendment freedoms in which they believe.”

The Wall Street Journal reported that the ruling by New York Supreme Court Judge Joel M. Cohen “represented a big win for the NRA.” The judge found that dissolving the NRA “could impinge, at least indirectly, on the free speech and assembly rights” of NRA members.

The NRA has been a New York nonprofit since its founding more than 150 years ago. The Journal reported that the NRA has charged that the suit brought by NYAG Letitia James is politically motivated.

To read more, click here.

Brewer News Release - NRA Prevails Over NYAG: Court Rules Association Cannot be Dissolved

New York, New York – March 2, 2022…The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) scored a major legal victory today, as a New York court struck down attempts by the New York Attorney General to dissolve the 150-year-old organization. Following a two-hour hearing on December 10, 2021, the Hon. Joel M. Cohen of the New York State Supreme Court issued an opinion today that vindicates the NRA’s position:  the NYAG’s effort to shut down the Association ran afoul of common sense, New York law, and the First Amendment.  

“This is a resounding win for the NRA, its 5 million members, and all who believe in this organization,” says NRA President Charles Cotton. “The message is loud and clear:  the NRA is strong and secure in its mission to protect constitutional freedom.”

The NRA will defend against the surviving claims in the lawsuit – but today’s ruling declares that the NYAG cannot shut down the Association or seize its assets.  

 “We applaud the court’s recognition that dissolution is neither appropriate nor justified,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and counsel to the NRA. “We look forward to continuing the defense of the NRA – and proving that it acts in the best interests of its members and the Second Amendment freedoms in which they believe.”  

Emphasizing that the NRA is “a prominent advocacy organization that represents the interests of millions of members,” the court said the NYAG failed to meet the “rigorous” standard for state-sponsored dissolution of such a group – and her attempt raised free speech concerns. 

In an opinion, dated March 2, 2022, Justice Cohen writes, “The Attorney General’s claims to dissolve the NRA are dismissed.” It adds, “The Complaint does not allege that any financial misconduct benefited the NRA, or that the NRA exists primarily to carry out such activity, or that the NRA is incapable of continuing its legitimate activities on behalf of its millions of members.”

The NRA has argued that it has demonstrated a commitment to good governance, and long believed that the NYAG’s case was part of a political vendetta. NYAG James famously vowed to “target the NRA” and “investigate the legitimacy of the NRA as a charitable organization” while on the campaign trail in July 2018 – before spending even one day in office and without any evidence of wrongdoing. She filed a lawsuit in August 2020 seeking to shut down the Association.

The NRA has successfully proven there was no legal precedent or factual basis for the NYAG’s scorched-earth, politicized approach.

The court observes, “The Attorney General cites no case in which she or her predecessors have sought – much less obtained – dissolution under analogous circumstances.” The opinion also states, “…dissolving the NRA could impinge, at least indirectly, on the free speech and assembly rights of its millions of members. While that alone would not preclude statutory dissolution if circumstances otherwise clearly warranted it, the Court believes it is a relevant factor that counsels against State-imposed dissolution, which should be the last option, not the first.” 

In addition to the dissolution claims, the court also dismissed claims by the NYAG for unjust enrichment and violations of the Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act. 

Against the backdrop of the NYAG’s lawsuit, the NRA is pursuing its own legal action against James. In a legal filing, dated February 23, 2021, the NRA responded to the August 2020 lawsuit filed by the NYAG. The filing alleges that her case is part of a crusade to silence a powerful political opponent – and its stated purpose to defend the Second Amendment.

According to the NRA’s filing, “James’s threatened, and actual, regulatory and civil reprisals are a blatant and malicious retaliation campaign against the NRA and its constituents based on her disagreement with the content of their speech. This wrongful conduct threatens to destroy the NRA and chill the speech of the NRA, its members, and other constituents, including like-minded groups and their members.”

Brewer adds, “Today’s developments underscore the simple truth that since taking office in 2019, the Attorney General has pushed a contrived narrative about the NRA in her attempt to support a dissolution claim that is improper. This is a victory for not only the NRA, but all who believe in the right to free speech and association.”

Attorneys for the NRA in this matter are William A. Brewer III, Sarah Rogers and Svetlana Eisenberg.

Brewer Client NRA Files Lawsuit Against New York Attorney General Letitia James

On August 6, 2020, Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors filed a lawsuit on behalf of its client, the National Rifle Association of America ("NRA"), against New York Attorney General ("NYAG") Letitia James, both individually and in her official capacity. 

Filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, the lawsuit notes that, under the guise of protecting New Yorkers and enforcing state nonprofit law, the NYAG has weaponized its regulatory and legal powers to harm a political adversary. 

Attorney General James famously vowed to "target the NRA" and "investigate the legitimacy of the NRA as a charitable organization" while on the campaign trail in July 2018 – before taking office and without any evidence of compliance failures. The NYAG later announced an investigation of the NRA and, predictably, sued the Association. 

The NRA’s lawsuit states that the Association "brings this lawsuit for declaratory and injunctive relief under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, as well as for a judicial declaration of what is obvious: the NRA operates in substantial compliance with New York not-for-profit law."

The New York Sun commentary, “The NRA’s Fight in New York is for All Americans,” discusses the importance of the case.

Read the complaint here.