Supreme Court Rules in Favor of NRA, Allowing First Amendment Case to Proceed

The Supreme Court overturned the dismissal of a lawsuit by the National Rifle Association accusing New York state officials of blacklisting the organization in violation of the First Amendment.

For Context: In 2018, the NRA sued Maria Vullo, a former superintendent of New York's Department of Financial Services, alleging that the state official unlawfully wielded regulatory power to cut the organization off from financial institutions. This financial pressure came in response to the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, which resulted in the death of 17 people.

Details: The justices issued a 9-0 ruling on Thursday overturning the lower ruling. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the decision, stating, “Ultimately, the critical takeaway is that the First Amendment prohibits government officials from wielding their power selectively to punish or suppress speech, directly or, as alleged here, through private intermediaries.” The decision does not decide the case in favor of the NRA’s allegations. It only rules that the argument is valid and should not have been dismissed. The case will now return to the lower courts for further review.

How the Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum highlighted that the NRA received the rare support of the American Civil Liberties Union in the case. ACLU Legal Director David Colector, who argued the case for the NRA, stated, “While the ACLU disagrees with the NRA’s advocacy, we are proud to defend its right to speak.”