NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge says the state attorney general’s lawsuit against the National Rifle Association is no mere “witch hunt.” A decision issued Friday dismisses the gun rights advocacy group’s claims that the case is a political vendetta. The ruling means the legal fight can continue. Attorney General Letitia James’ 2020 lawsuit accused top NRA executives of financial improprieties. The NRA alleged in a court filing last year that James was retaliating against the group because of its views. Manhattan Judge Joel Cohen says that James’ investigation was prompted by reports of serious misconduct and cannot be written off as a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
Photo: FILE — In this Jan. 18, 2019, file photo, an attendee at a gun-rights rally wears a hat supporting the National Rifle Association, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)