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Friday, August 3, 2018

Gov. Cuomo announces filing of motion to dismiss NRA lawsuit

Press Release:

Governor Cuomo: "Donald Trump and Washington, DC 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. While the NRA tries to play the victim, New York stands with the real victims—the thousands of people whose lives are cut short by gun violence every year."
 
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York is filing a motion to dismiss the National Rifle Association's lawsuit against New York. The lawsuit was filed on May 11 after Governor Cuomo directed the Department of Financial Services to urge companies to weigh reputational risk of business ties to the NRA and similar organizations.
 
"New York we will not be intimidated by the NRA's frivolous lawsuit to advance its dangerous gun-peddling agenda," Governor Cuomo said. "Donald Trump and Washington, DC 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. While the NRA tries to play the victim, New York stands with the real victims—the thousands of people whose lives are cut short by gun violence every year."
 
In April, Governor Cuomo directed the Department of Financial Services to urge insurance companies, New York State-chartered banks, and other financial services companies licensed in New York to review any relationships they may have with the National Rifle Association and other similar organizations. Upon this review, the companies were encouraged to consider whether such ties harm their corporate reputations and jeopardize public safety.
 
The Motion to Dismiss calls for the NRA's complaint to be dismissed in its entirety and argues that the actions by the Governor and DFS to protect New Yorkers do not implicate the NRA's First Amendment Rights or deprive the NRA of any other constitutional protections. 
 
Advancing Gun Safety
 
Under Governor Cuomo, New York has passed the strongest gun control laws in the nation, including the SAFE Act which keeps guns out of the hands of convicted felons and the dangerous mentally ill, ensures private gun sales are subject to a background check, bans high-capacity magazines and assault weapons, and toughens criminal penalties for illegal gun use.
 
The Governor also recently enacted a law targeting the well-known link between domestic abuse and deadly gun violence. And earlier this month, Governor Cuomo also announced a series of actions to prevent the distribution of dangerous 3D gun plans that allow individuals to cheaply create functioning and untraceable firearms, including weapons that are illegal in New York State.
 
The Governor has also championed evidence-based gun violence reduction efforts which have received national recognition, such as the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative and SNUG program, which together work to support both law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations in the prevention of shootings and homicides involving firearms.