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The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear a major First Amendment case from the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Monday, challenging a government official who allegedly pressured companies to stop doing business with the organization.
The NRA is bringing forward its case against former New York Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria Vullo, who allegedly encouraged other financial institutions “to continue evaluating and managing their risks, including reputational risks, that may arise from their dealings with the NRA or similar gun promotion organizations,” following the 2018 mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida, according to Forbes.
“This is the moment of truth for the NRA and its millions of members. We are honored to be before the Supreme Court – protecting our First Amendment rights to defend the Second Amendment freedom. We will never shrink from the fight to defend the values and freedoms of America,” NRA Interim EVP and CEO Andrew Arulanandam stated in a post.
Vullo reportedly had sent “guidance letters” to both banks and insurance companies, pushing them to cut ties with the major firearms company, as well as other pro-Second Amendment organizations, according to Fox News.
The lawsuit claims that the former superintendent allegedly made “backroom threats” against regulated firms and offered leniency against unrelated infractions if the companies would, in return, blacklist the NRA, the outlet reported.
After the lawsuit was originally filed in 2018, a federal appeals court dismissed the case in 2022, stating that Vullo had acted in a reasonable manner. However, in November 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up the case.
The NRA’s case has gathered major support from various political leaders and even major organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which typically ideologically opposes the firearm group but was “proud” to defend their “right to speak,” Fox News reported.
“If Maria Vullo can do this to the NRA, then why couldn’t a regulator in Texas do it to an immigrants’ rights group or a regulator in Arkansas do it to Planned Parenthood?” ACLU National Legal Director David Cole told the New York Times in December.
