The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision establishing for the first time a constitutional right to carry a handgun outside the home for self-defense is a bright spot in what’s been a bleak time for the National Rifle Association.
The gun rights group has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years. They include financial strain and an investigation and lawsuit brought by the New York State attorney general alleging fraud and misuse of the nonprofit’s funds by Wayne LaPierre, who has led the NRA since 1991, and other senior executives.
The concealed carry victory Thursday in a suit filed by one of its affiliates is “much needed wind beneath the NRA’s wings,” said Adam Winkler, a UCLA law professor and author of “Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America.” Still, the victory alone isn’t likely to help the organization rebound.
