ATLANTA – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced today that Georgia has joined a coalition of 16 States that have filed an amicus brief supporting the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James. The NRA’s lawsuit seeks to block James’s politically motivated attempt in a separate lawsuit to dissolve the NRA, which is the country’s oldest civil rights organization and leading Second Amendment advocacy organization.

“The Second Amendment is a basic and essential constitutional right, and I will always defend the ability of Georgians to exercise their right to defend themselves, their families and their property,” said Attorney General Chris Carr.

In August, Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit in New York state court seeking to dissolve the NRA. The NRA responded by suing Attorney General James in New York federal court, claiming that her dissolution lawsuit violated the First Amendment by seeking to punish the NRA for its constitutionally protected Second Amendment advocacy.

The coalition’s amicus brief supports the NRA, arguing that New York’s lawsuit violates the First Amendment because it was designed to retaliate against the NRA and its members for these constitutionally-protected activities. The brief makes clear that state regulations of nonprofits and charitable organizations are essential to protecting the public, but such regulations should never be used to attack a government official’s political opponents.

Georgia is joined in the amicus brief by Arkansas, Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.