Teen anti-gun activism is killing the profitability of NRA TV

[struggle4progress]

By Oliver Willis - August 2, 2018

... The teenage shooting survivors, working together as part of the March for Our Lives movement, pushed for changes like the one Cuomo implemented. The Trace notes, “Cuomo’s order came in the midst of a wave of activism following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida.”

New York also handed out $8 million in fines against Chubb and Lockton Affinity, insurance companies that soon stopped doing business with the NRA. The companies previously underwrote the NRA “Carry Guard” program, which was supposed to cover legal fees and liabilities stemming from self-defense shootings.

The NRA was reportedly relying on the money from the insurance program to help make up for revenue it would no longer be able to bring in with Trump in the White House as its ally.

Under President Barack Obama, the NRA used fearmongering about gun confiscation and legislation that was never proposed, let alone implemented, to get flush with cash from donations made by its fearful members ...

https://shareblue.com/nra-tv-parkland-activists-shut-down/

[struggle4progress]

1. NRA claims it's facing financial ruin

By RICH SCHAPIRO
| NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |
AUG 03, 2018 | 3:45 PM

... Cuomo and his state regulators “seek to silence one of America’s oldest constitutional-rights advocates,” the National Rifle Association said in the July 20 court filing ...

The governor fired back after the court papers came to light Friday.

"If I could have put the NRA out of business, I would have done it 20 years ago,” he said ...

“New York will not be intimidated by the NRA's frivolous lawsuit to advance its dangerous gun-peddling agenda," Cuomo said. "Donald Trump and Washington, D.C., may be bought and paid for by the NRA, but in New York, we are listening to the voices of people across the nation calling for action to keep our communities safe” ...

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny-metro-nra-facing-financial-ruin-cuomo-20180803-story.html

[struggle4progress]

2. NRA Complaint Over Cuomo's Directive to Insurers

By Dan M. Clark | July 31, 2018 at 06:21 PM

... In a lawsuit filed in May, the NRA claimed that Cuomo and state Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria Vullo conspired to coerce financial institutions to sever business ties with the association, causing it to suffer financial losses. The association claimed those actions infringed on their free-speech protections to advocate for gun rights.

The state argued in an opposing motion to the NRA in early July that the insurers they were targeting were selling insurance coverage that violated state law. That insurance, called Carry Guard, provides coverage for criminal defense costs and civil protections incurred after a gun is used in self-defense.

The state wrote in its motion that the coverage is illegal because “New York state law prohibits insurance coverage to defense costs arising out of a crime.” The state also said the Carry Guard program did not meet the minimum requirements for liability insurance policies in New York state.

The state also argued that the NRA’s lawsuit is a retaliatory effort against the state’s actions in regard to the Carry Guard program ...

https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2018/07/31/nra-claims-economic-hardship-in-complaint-over-cuomos-directive-to-insurers/

[struggle4progress]

3. Amended NRA suit by says crackdown led to financial hardship

BY DEBRA CASSENS WEISS
POSTED AUGUST 1, 2018, 1:50 PM CDT

... The July 20 amended suit says Cuomo and the superintendent of New York’s Department of Financial Services acted in a “malicious” conspiracy to harm the financial well-being of the association, the National Law Journal reports. DFS regulates insurers and financial institutions ...

The suit says DFS dissuaded insurers from business relationships with the NRA after initiating an investigation of “Carry Guard” insurance, offered by the NRA through Lockton Companies. The policy helped pay the legal fees for the criminal and civil defense of people involved in self-defense shootings.

New York maintained the policy was illegal under a state law that bars insurance for defense costs arising from a crime, according to the National Law Journal. The state also said the policy did not meet New York’s minimum insurance requirements ...

http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/amended_suit_by_nra_says_new_york_crackdown_has_led_to_financial_hardship

[struggle4progress]

4. New York seeks dismissal of NRA suit

MARY ESCH, Associated Press
Posted: Aug 03, 2018 05:41 PM EDT
Updated: Aug 03, 2018 05:41 PM EDT

... Cuomo said late Friday the state is filing a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. "New York will not be intimidated by the NRA's frivolous lawsuit to advance its dangerous gun-peddling agenda," he said ...

The motion to dismiss argues that the actions by the governor and Department of Financial Services were designed to protect New Yorkers and they don't harm the NRA's First Amendment rights or other constitutional protections, Cuomo said.

https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/state-news/new-york-seeks-dismissal-of-nra-suit-claiming-blacklisting-/1345205968

[fescuerescue]

5. The NRA will struggle while Trump is president

But once a Dem get's elected, they'll be flush again.

[struggle4progress]

7. Alleged Russian Agent Sought Ties With NRA, Trump Aide

... Federal prosecutors accuse Butina of conspiring with two American citizens, one of whom she cohabited with, and a top Russian official to influence U.S. policy toward Russia by infiltrating the National Rifle Association gun rights group and other conservative special interest groups potentially influential on the Trump administration.

Butina was charged last month with acting as an agent for the Kremlin, but was not formally charged with espionage, most likely because her role was not to steal state and military secrets but allegedly to insinuate her way into U.S. political circles to advance Russia’s policy aims ...

https://www.voanews.com/a/post-alleged-russian-agent-nra-trump-aide/4513510.html

[struggle4progress]

11. Trump associate socialised with Maria Butina during 2016 campaign

By Rosalind S. Helderman
4 August 2018 — 11:51am

... During the campaign, Butina asked Trump at a public event in 2015 about his views on Russia and briefly met Donald Trump Jr. at a National Rifle Association meeting in May 2016 ...

Erickson described Butina as a "special friend" of the NRA and said she was the special assistant to the deputy governor of the Bank of Russia, according to the correspondence described to The Post ...

Gordon said that Butina presented herself to "likely thousands of people" as a graduate student and founder of a Russian gun-rights group ...

The contact was not Erickson's first attempt to connect Butina and Torshin to the Trump campaign. In May 2016, he emailed Trump adviser Rick Dearborn and urged Dearborn to set up a meeting between Trump and Torshin at an upcoming NRA convention ...

https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-associate-socialised-with-maria-butina-during-2016-campaign-20180804-p4zvij.html

[fescuerescue]

16. Yep

I don't think my statement is incompatible with yours.

the NRA benefits when gun owners are scared of losing gun rights. NRA suffers when they relax.

In 2015 and 2016, the NRA was benefiting in many ways, including what you referenced, that was a time that gun owners were NOT relaxed about gun rights.

[struggle4progress]

6. Cuomo rejects NRA 'blacklisting' claim

AUGUST 3, 2018 / 6:51 PM / UPDATED 5 HOURS AGO
Jonathan Stempel

In an amended version of a lawsuit it had filed on May 11, the NRA said New York’s “blacklisting” had already cost it insurance coverage, and would “imminently” deprive it of basic banking and other financial services ...

But in a Friday afternoon filing ... New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood ... said the activity by Cuomo and state financial services superintendent Maria Vullo cited by the NRA did not violate the group’s constitutional free speech or due process rights.

Underwood acknowledged Cuomo’s and the NRA’s “longstanding history of strong disagreement” on gun control, but said the lawsuit did not allege that New York “directly inhibited the NRA from expressing its opposition to gun regulation. Instead, it presents a speculative and implausible ‘parade of horribles’” ...

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-york-nra/new-yorks-cuomo-rejects-nra-claim-that-blacklisting-jeopardizes-mission-idUSKBN1KO2QY

[dalton99a]

8. +1. The NRA is full of shit

as usual

[BigmanPigman]

9. I do not trust some of the info since I read that

the NRA is full of $$$ and may be just saying it doesn't have money for its TV show to get more donations. Also, they have a ton of Russian $$$ that they are hiding someplace. They may not be as financially sound as they were a few months ago before Parkland and the red headed Russian spy was outed, but they are far from suffering unfortunately.

[dalton99a]

12. This smells like the beginning of a "Save the NRA. Vote Republican" campaign

[BigmanPigman]

13. Excellent point!

[smirkymonkey]

14. I'm not buying their "crying poor" act either.

Especially since we now know that they are most likely being backed by the Russians.

[Gothmog]

10. Yeah

[Cha]

15. KR! Mahalo, struggle!

[malaise]

17. Great

Why should young people not defend their right to live?
Thing is great news. Fuck the NRA and its enablers.