After receiving notice that the National Rifle Association (NRA) filed a collective lawsuit against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D), New York State's Superintendent of Financial Services Maria T. Vullo and the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), Cuomo decided to sound off on the lawsuit.
Naturally, Cuomo took the "thought and prayers" approach:
If the @NRA goes bankrupt because of the State of New York, they'll be in my thoughts and prayers.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 4, 2018
I'll see you in court. https://t.co/9en4Xmu2qD
During an interview, Cuomo also said the NRA's Carry Guard was an "illegal product" that they were selling and pushing.
"This Carry Guard insurance policy is illegal. And they were advertising it and they were getting a commission," Cuomo explained. "It was designed for people who carry guns. And it's illegal in the state of New York. We put the insurance carrier on notice, they stopped that insurance product and the NRA is not getting a commission from the sale of an illegal product."
In its lawsuit, the NRA alleges that Cuomo, Vullo and DFS forced insurance carriers and banks to quit doing business with the pro-gun group out of fear of retaliation by the state of New York.
"You know, what do you want me to say, that my heart bleeds for them? They're not supposed to be selling an illegal product in the first place. Don't complain when you get caught with an illegal product," Cuomo explained. "If it was a different situation, people go to jail for selling illegal products. So I have very little sympathy for them."
Interestingly enough, Cuomo also commented on his long-standing rivalry with the NRA.
"They've been a longtime nemesis to me. I've been fighting them for 20 years. I've been fighting them since the Clinton administration when they blocked a safe gun agreement that gun manufacturers agreed to that would have saved thousands of lives," Cuomo said. "They are political bullies. They control the President. They control the Congress. And they control most state legislators and most governors. They don't control me and they never will. And they have a problem with that."
According to Cuomo, on a weekly basis, after a shooting happens, politicians are quick to offer up their "thoughts and prayers" to the victims.
"If the NRA goes away, I will remember them in my thoughts and prayers. How about that?" Cuomo asked.