NRA backs off San Francisco lawsuit, claims ‘victory’

The National Rifle Association on Thursday dropped a lawsuit it filed against the city of San Francisco back in September over city supervisors’ decision to label the group a domestic terrorist organization.

In early September, the city’s Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on the resolution, which also recommended the city limit any financial and contractual relationships city vendors and contractors have with the NRA.

Although the resolution drew national attention, the resolution is apparently non-binding and has no legal standing.

The NRA’s suit, which named the city and all 11 supervisors as defendants, alleged the resolution openly discriminated against the NRA’s five million members, blacklisting them and anyone linked to them. The suit also alleged the resolution could affect the group financially.

Although the suit has been dropped, William A. Brewer, an attorney for the NRA, called the move a “victory” for the NRA.

He said:

“Today the NRA withdrew its lawsuit in SF–and now celebrates the important victory it obtained on behalf of its members. As has been widely reported, after the Association challenged the unconstitutional resolution, the city beat a hasty retreat and backed down from its wildly illegal blacklisting scheme. The censors are on notice. The NRA will always fight for the Constitution, and will re-file if the city tries anything like this in the future.”

City Attorney Dennis Herrera said in a statement:

“We’re pleased the NRA backed down on its frivolous lawsuit. This was a baseless attempt to silence San Francisco’s valid criticisms of the NRA and distract from the gun violence epidemic facing our country.” 

Herrera said:

“San Francisco will never be intimidated by the NRA. If the NRA doesn’t want to be publicly condemned for its actions, it should stop sabotaging common sense gun safety regulations that would protect untold numbers of Americans every year, like universal background checks, an assault weapons ban and restrictions on high-capacity magazines.”