Rolling Stone reports that one of the nation’s most treasured institutions, the National Rifle Association, is on the brink of disaster. Wait … strike treasured. Insert terrible. One of the nation’s most terrible institutions, the NRA, is claiming to be out of cash.
According to a legal filing from the NRA, they’re not short on funds because the organization is gearing up for big legal doings over its association with Russian operative Maria Butina. And it’s not out of money because it’s dealing with law suits from shooting victims. And it didn’t give outgoing president Pete Brownell a special “remember Moscow” golden parachute. The NRA says its out of money because a “blacklisting campaign” led by the state of New York that has cut it over from normal banking services, eliminated insurance policies necessary for day to day operations, and cost the organization “tens of millions.”
Thoughts and prayers, NRA. Thoughts and prayers.
Only … don’t start cheering too soon. The claim that the NRA is in trouble came in a court filing intended to prevent further action by New York State. What it really amounts to is a giant whine note claiming that Andrew Cuomo is picking on them. It’s just a claim the NRA is putting on the table so they can ask the judge to halt action by the state and give them “relief.” Sweet, sweet relief from their terrible suffering.
Odds that the NRA is in real trouble are about as good as playing Russian roulette with an automatic weapon. They are, unfortunately, unlikely to go anywhere.
Of course, the whole thing might not be aimed at the judge. It could be a plea to their uncle Vlad to give them another dose of those sweet, sweet millions like the ones they passed on to the Trump campaign. Now that Team Trump has made it even easier to hide money coming into the country, it would be a great to try that out—just in time for the fall elections. Because, really, on that front they may need some serious help.