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The second phase of the civil trial against the National Rifle Association and its top executives is set to begin Monday in Manhattan, with New York Attorney General Letitia James seeking an independent monitor to oversee the powerful gun rights group.
The Democrat also is seeking to ban Wayne LaPierre, the organization’s former CEO, from serving in leadership positions for or collecting funds on behalf of charitable organizations conducting business in New York.
Judge Joel Cohen also will decide whether ex-general counsel John Frazer should be barred from charitable organizations in the state.
During the first phase of trial earlier this year, a jury in February found LaPierre misspent millions of dollars of NRA money in order to fund an extravagant lifestyle that included exotic getaways and trips on private planes and superyachts.
Jurors also found the NRA failed to properly manage its assets, omitted or misrepresented information in its tax filings and violated whistleblower protections under New York law.
The upcoming proceedings in Manhattan state court are a bench trial, meaning there is no jury and the judge will hand down the verdict.
The NRA, through its lawyer, called the request for a court-appointed monitor to oversee administration of the organization’s charitable assets “unwarranted.”
William Brewer, a lawyer for the NRA, said Friday that the organization was the victim in the case and has since taken a “course correction” to make sure it is fully complaint with the state’s nonprofit laws.
“The focal point for ‘phase two’ is the NYAG’s burden to show that any violation of any law is ‘continuing’ and persistent at the NRA,” he said in an email. “This is a burden the NYAG cannot meet.”
Spokespersons for James declined to comment, as did a lawyer for LaPierre, who said his client isn’t required to appear in person but will attend Monday. An email also was sent to Frazer’s lawyer.
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