PRIORITIES

NRA Sues New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Alleging ‘Attack’ on Gun Rights

The gun rights group claims authorities are “going out of their way” to crack down on the Second Amendment by not deeming gun shops “essential.”

The National Rifle Association is alleging in a new lawsuit that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched a “pointless and arbitrary attack” on Second Amendment rights by shutting down gun shops during the coronavirus pandemic. While Cuomo exempted grocery stores, pharmacies, and liquor stores from New York’s statewide lockdown order on March 20, gun shops were not deemed to be “essential” and were therefore ordered to close. The NRA is now arguing that the move shows New York authorities are “going out of their way to protect liquor stores and release criminals onto the streets, while ignoring the public’s outcry over the suspension of Second Amendment rights.” The gun rights group has also taken legal action in Northern California over similar restrictions amid the coronavirus crisis. New York Attorney General Letitia James has vowed to “aggressively defend” against the NRA’s “legal assault” on the state.