Supreme Court Declines to Revive NRA's Free Speech Lawsuit Against Former NY Official

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The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to revive the National Rifle Association's lawsuit accusing a former New York state official of coercing banks and insurers to avoid doing business with the gun rights group. The NRA had alleged that Maria Vullo, the former superintendent of New York's Department of Financial Services, violated its free speech rights by targeting it with an 'implicit censorship regime' following the 2018 Parkland shooting.

Why it matters

The case highlighted the ongoing tensions between the NRA and gun control advocates, as well as the ability of government officials to influence private businesses' decisions regarding controversial advocacy groups. The Supreme Court's refusal to reinstate the lawsuit suggests that Vullo's actions, while potentially coercive, were not clearly unconstitutional at the time under the legal doctrine of qualified immunity.

The details

The NRA filed the lawsuit in 2018, accusing Vullo of unlawfully retaliating against it for its gun rights advocacy by pressuring banks and insurers to avoid doing business with the group. In 2024, the Supreme Court had initially revived the NRA's lawsuit after lower courts dismissed it, but the case was sent back to a lower court. Last year, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Vullo was immune from the NRA's claims because the law addressing her conduct was unclear at the time.

• The NRA filed the lawsuit in 2018.
• The Supreme Court initially revived the lawsuit in May 2024.
• The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Vullo was immune from the claims in 2025.