-NRA Drops Law Firm For Backing Out Of DOMA Defense

[sasha031]

The National Rifle Association is dropping the law firm King & Spalding as an outside counsel due to its decision to withdraw from representing House Republicans in support of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

The National Law Journal's Tony Mauro reports:

In a letter dated today to King & Spalding chairman Robert Hays, NRA general counsel David Lehman said the firm's decision was "indefensible" but emphasized that the NRA's action in dropping King & Spalding is "not motivated by any position on the statute itself." The NRA is a "single issue organization" focused on the Second Amendment, Lehman wrote. But he said that in retaining outside counsel, "we expect them to zealously advocate for our interests and not abandon the representation due to pressure from those who may disagree with us."
Read the full letter here.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/nra_drops_law_firm_for_backing_out_of_doma_defense.php

[spanone]

1. guns and marriage, guns and marriage, go together like a ........

fuck the nra

[Paradoxical]

2. Well, I'm certainly happy I didn't renew my membership.

I always thought better of the NRA than this. Now it appears as though I was wrong.

[sasha031]

5. NRA has always been and supported right wing candidates and principles

[Paradoxical]

8. Well, they've always supported whoever supported the most relaxed gun laws.

That tends to be right wing politicians.

I never thought that was a sign of truly being a conservative entity. Until, of course, now.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. Seeing someone else's epiphany of enlightenment is a joyous thing.

Welcome to Reason. :thumbsup:

[TheWraith]

13. Their leadership has been taken over by right wing nuts intent on manipulating gun owners. nt

[ieoeja]

15. When I quit, they repeatedly called and asked me to rejoin.

NRA: You need to rejoin.

Me: While I am extremely pro-gun, on most other issues I am a liber....

{click}


I stopped counting how many conversations went exactly like the above. They made it abundantly clear at that time (early 90s) that they were *not* interested in having liberal members.

Two incidents prompted my dropping membership.

1. The post-OKC bombing issue of the NRA published American Rifleman featuring Wayne La Pierre's explanation that the NRA in no way spread loony conspiracy theories also included an article by Neil Knox talking about the residents of a Chicago suburb being rounded up in the middle of the night by UN black helicopters.

2. The NRA successfully sued the state of California for not sentencing a first time offender under the Three-Strikes law (which they also bragged about authoring in the first place). During the man's first offense, he violated three qualifying laws. And the NRA wrote the law to purposefully trap even first time offenders while advertising that it would only apply to people who had already been incarcerated twice before for violent crimes.

[LanternWaste]

26. Since 1990, the spread was 18% Dem & 82% GOP re: campagin contributions...

Since 1990, the spread was $3,267,158 in campaign contributions to the D's, $14,924,165 to the R's (18% v. 82%). Seems like contributing to the NRA whether through cash or moral support is a defacto support for the R's.

[jpak]

3. God Guns and Gays - the Unholy Trinity of the Moran Right

NRA = bags of douche

yup

[Vincardog]

4. If The NRA is a "single issue organization" WTF do they care about who defends unconstitutional

social policies?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

6. OK, tell me what the fucking fuck does defense of gun rights have to do with this.

Furthermore, tell me why the fucking fuck any Democrat or liberal should be supporting the NRA in any way, shape, or form. Pre-emptive note to the first dumbass who responds with "But they gave money to Democrats X, Y, and Z!!111!!" -- Do you think we're idiots? Fuck you.

[onehandle]

7. Admins? More proof that that the NRA should not be allowed to be supported at DU. nt

[Paradoxical]

9. As a former member of the NRA, I'm with you on this.

[sasha031]

11. K/R

:thumbsup:

[Logical]

23. I also agree! n-t

[MineralMan]

12. Right...it's not about the "gay" thing. Sure.

The NRA is the scum of the earth, or at least is led by the scum of the earth. They are pure right-wing, teabagger crap. They're in no way a single-issue organization. They're a tool of the Right.

I have only contempt for the NRA, and I say that as a lifetime firearms owner.

[gratuitous]

14. Yeah, the NRA is a single issue organization

And it would be oh so very wrong to read into their action to fire their attorneys as taking any kind of position on the underlying issue. Wrong, I tell you! Wrong! So don't do it.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

18. That was involuntarily comical. Do they expect anybody to believe that BS? -nt

[gratuitous]

21. Do they expect anybody to believe it?

That's hard to say, but from my experiences with some NRA members (I'm sure I've talked unawares with many NRA members, but some want you to know where they stand even if you're discussing favorite ice cream flavors), the NRA is pitching its reasoning to a certain segment of its base that will indeed believe it.

[atreides1]

16. This is the final straw for me

I won't be renewing my membership...

[Dogtown]

17. The SPLC

needs to investigate the NRA as a possible hate group.

[orwell]

19. Nothing wrong with the Second Amendment...

...but the NRA has been a Con front group for years.

These people remind me of the RW Con churches that claim to be non-political while they preach against the Democratic Party 24/7. They are thinly veiled Con Campaign organizers.

Meanwhile, the ability to bring new voters on the rolls is being challenged in 33 Con states and unions are being attacked from all sides.

I love the smell of fascism in the morning...

[jtuck004]

20. This is my rifle, this is my gun. This ones for politics and this ones for fun.

To forget one's purpose is the commonest form of stupidity.

Friedrich Nietzsche

[Paradoxical]

27. Please, for the love of God, don't quote that piece of shit.

[jtuck004]

28. Well, if I could have thought of a mnemonic that would have helped them,

I would've used that.

Firing a firm because they are not doing good work in fighting for gun rights is one thing, but
they (nor does most anyone, in my view) have much reason to make strategic decisions based on a
political stance on gay marriage. What a bunch of buffoons. They should get back to serious work.

[Logical]

22. I am 100% pro-gun and 100% pro conceal carry...but the NRA is just a bunch of right wing idiots. n-t

[bullwinkle428]

24. NRA: "Guns, guns, and nothing but guns!"

"Oh, yeah...and the queers, too!"

I guess they shouldn't hold their breath waiting for donations from the Pink Pistols.

http://www.pinkpistols.org/

[CTyankee]

25. This thread is fun!

:popcorn: Lovin' it!

[onehandle]

29. The funnest. nt