SCOTUS Allows NRA Free Speech Case to Resume

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Facts

• The US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled unanimously Thursday to allow the National Rifle Association (NRA) to continue its free speech lawsuit against a former New York state regulator. The ruling overturns a lower court's dismissal of the case.¹
• The lawsuit involves the former head of the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS), Maria Vullo, who several years ago encouraged insurance companies she was investigating to cut ties with the NRA.²
• In 2017, the DFS investigated a product used by insurance companies called Carry Guard, which provides liability coverage for things such as gun injuries and criminal defense — concluding it violated state insurance law.³
• Following the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Fla., Vullo issued 'guidance letters' encouraging companies to review the potential 'reputational risks' from working with the NRA.⁴
• Writing for the unanimous court, liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that if the NRA's claims are accurate, Vullo's targeting of the NRA's advocacy would allow government officials to 'expand their regulatory jurisdiction to suppress the speech of organizations.'⁵
• While the lower court must reconsider the case, SCOTUS also noted that Vullo could end up protected by qualified immunity even if she's found to have violated the Constitution.²

Sources: ¹FOX News, ²thehill.com, ³New York Times, ⁴wsj.com and ⁵New York Post.

Narratives

• Right narrative, as provided by Federalist. Vullo sought to use her influential government office to scare businesses out of supporting the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Unfortunately for her and her fellow gun-grabbing New York politicians, every justice on the high court exposed her illegal schemes on the national stage.
• Left narrative, as provided by Vox. Vullo may have taken things too far, but that doesn't mean she was wrong about Carry Guard, which essentially offers to pay the legal fees of anyone who shoots another person. Unfortunately, this ruling is going to allow the NRA to continue to promote the use of deadly weapons in the US.

Predictions