NEW YORK (AP/WBEN) - The National Rifle Association is "under siege," President Donald Trump said Monday in response to New York state's decision to investigate the organization's status as a tax-exempt nonprofit.The Republican president accused state Attorney General Letitia James and her fellow Democrat, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, of breaking the law — though he did not specify which law — with the investigation into the gun-rights organization.
The NRA is under siege by Cuomo and the New York State A.G., who are illegally using the State's legal apparatus to take down and destroy this very important organization, & others. It must get its act together quickly, stop the internal fighting, & get back to GREATNESS - FAST!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 29, 2019 In a statement responding to Trump's tweet, James' office said she is focused "on enforcing the rule of law.""In any case we pursue, we will follow the facts wherever they may lead," her office wrote. "We wish the President would share our respect for the law."James' office offered few details about the probe when it was announced Saturday, saying only that an investigation into the NRA had been launched and that subpoenas had been issued.But last year she had vowed to investigate whether the organization deserves its tax-exempt nonprofit status. And an NRA lawyer said Saturday that it would cooperate "with any inquiry into its finances."
The state attorney general has oversight over nonprofit groups registered with the state and may seek to fine those who defraud donors, misuse charitable funds or violate the rules governing political activities by nonprofits. The NRA is based in Virginia but has an office in New York.
Local gun advocates are echoing the sentiments of Trump, saying that their right to bear arms is unquestionably defined in the Constitution.
"[The Constitution> clearly states that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, and for decades, a century or more in New York, they have been infringing on the individual right to keep and bear arms," said Schroeder. "It's not a perception, it's the truth, that particularly the Democrat party, is anti-gun. They're trying to destroy the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution."
"The NRA, in my opinion, does a disservice to legal gun owners," began Cuomo at a press conference. "Everyone agrees that a legal owner has a right to firearms. The issue is that mentally ill people shouldn't have access to firearms; former felons shouldn't have access to firearms; criminals shouldn't have access to firearms. So, to do that, you need a background check to make sure you're selling a gun to a legal owner, not an illegal owner."
However, he says the NRA doesn't like to push that narrative because he believes the organization is more consumed with the bottom line.
"The NRA's goal is to sell more guns, and they don't care if they sell them to legal owners or illegal owners, they want to sell more guns," said Cuomo. "I believe they're more beholden to the manufacturers of guns, and they've been all about selling more and more guns."
"We're looking at this as an opportunity to hone our sabres as we go on this fight against any of those politicians that are taking our 2nd Amendment rights from us," said Schroeder. "We are going to make an actual overt attack against Governor Cuomo and the liberal leftists that are trying to take our Constitutional rights and destroy them."
James' office has also opened a civil investigation into allegations by former Trump attorney Michael Cohen that Trump exaggerated his wealth to obtain loans.Her office is also overseeing a lawsuit alleging Trump used his charitable foundation for campaign purposes. The Trump Foundation reached a deal in December to fold and distribute about $1.7 million in remaining funds. James is seeking millions of dollars in additional restitution, as well as an order banning Trump and his three oldest children from running any New York charities for 10 years.
