Gov. Cuomo called the NRA’s Carry Guard “murder insurance” in a recent interview with CNN (Photo: New York Governor’s Office)
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo hasn’t been shy about attacking the National Rifle Association in a transparent bid to earn election-year brownie points, but his latest assault moves beyond gun rights—and he’s urging other governors to follow his lead.
In a letter to an unnamed set of state governors, Cuomo asks his counterparts to restrict the NRA’s ability to offer its “Carry Guard” concealed carry insurance. Cuomo claims the insurance program covers “intentional criminal conduct resulting in bodily harm,” and his Department of Financial Services has already cracked down on the insurance companies working with the NRA to provide this product.
“Shockingly, we have discovered that this product is being sold in other states across the country,” Cuomo says in the letter. “I urge you to examine your laws and determine whether or not this product is being illegally sold in your state, and I encourage you to follow New York’s lead and block the sale of these NRA products if they are illegal, or to outlaw these products if they are not already prohibited.”
“It would be highly unusual for a state to allow an insurance company to reimburse for an illegal activity. They call it ‘murder insurance,'” the governor told CNN.
SEE ALSO: New York Gun Control Architect Sheldon Silver Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison
Cuomo’s bit comes as a response to a lawsuit brought by the NRA that claims the state’s regulatory apparatus has illegally coerced financial companies—like those that back Carry Guard—into halting business ties with the gun-rights group. The suit claims that the NRA has been the victim of a “blacklisting campaign” that violates their constitutional rights to speech and association.
“Political differences aside, our client believes the tactics employed by these public officials are aimed to deprive the NRA of its First Amendment right to speak freely about gun-related issues and in defense of the Second Amendment,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and counsel to the NRA. “We believe these actions are outside the authority of DFS and fail to honor the principles which require public officials to protect the constitutional rights of all citizens.”
Cuomo has filed a motion to dismiss the suit, and he’s taken to the cable news networks to push his message.
“I believe the NRA represents an extremist group,” he told CNN. “I believe they’ve been counterproductive for gun owners in this country. I believe their politics suits them to stop any common-sense gun reform.”
SEE ALSO: New York Comptroller Asking Money Lenders to Put the Choke on Gun Sellers
The NRA only recently began offering its Carry Guard insurance to compete with similar products offered by the United States Concealed Carry Association and state-specific companies. Broadly speaking, the insurance covers legal fees if a policyholder is involved in a self-defense shooting.
Cuomo claims the NRA’s product is illegal under New York State law, and the Department of Financial Services has already fined several insurance companies hundreds of thousands of dollars for participating in the NRA’s program. Without the participation of these companies in New York and other states, the NRA will no longer be able to offer insurance.
So on one hand antigun politicians have said gun owners should be responsible and carry some type of liability insurance. Yet on the other hand they are condemning responsible gun owners for voluntarily purchasing insurance because…you got it, it’s being offered through the NRA!!
With all the obvious hate he shows, is the fact he does not believe everyone deserves the best defense they can get. He is so power hungry, he is willing to sacrifice anyone who doesn’t agree with him. He is already on record as saying the state of New York has no room for conservatives, that illegals are more a priority than the citizens of New York, and now anyone who believes inn protecting themselves are murders and do not deserve the rights afforded any other citizen. This man is transparent.
I am 75 yrs. old a endowment life member of the NRA and a certified instructor. The nra has done. More good for the United States than any politician. Trump is the only true president of our country. He’s not in it for the money. He’s here to help all people survive. God bless Trump
This Libtard is no different than any other power hungry individual who thins that disarming it’s citizens is the only way they can exert their power and ideals upon us because they think their ideas are the only ideas that will work. Time to vote all of these career politicians out of office!!!!!
Cuomo should not be allowed to have armed security no politician should other than TRUMP and pence.
DEMORATS AND LIBERALS ARE THE RUINATION OF OUR GREAT COUNTRY FOR EVERY TRUE AMERICAN CITIZEN
funny he calls the NRA ins. an illegal item that should be stopped, which it ins’t and yet has no problem allowing illegal aliens to walk right into our country which is truly illegal.
really cares about our country and it’s real citizens doesn’t he? scum bag.
Oh yeah! Coumo is so going to Hell when he gets aids and dies, and I can’t think of better place for his rotten soul.
That’s a maliciously false lie and Cuomo knows it. Get the lawyers on the phone and go after that lair for libel.
Cuomo will say anything to get votes, he calls his liberal policies “progressive” , I bet he wouldn’t go anywhere without his contingent of heavily armed guards. He is just another slimeball politician who passed legislation in the middle of the night, they rushed his “safe act” through so fast they didn’t even think that police officers carry more than 7 rounds so they had to amend their own law quickly so that the police were not in violation of he law.
Cuomo is hated in upstate NY and is only doing this to carry his beloved homeland for votes. He is preparing himself for a rough time with the Supreme Court after the election. I know of multiple entities that are waiting to go after him both professionally and personally. I hope he is left penniless and destitute. I have a refrigerator box he can erect over a steam vent for his next home. Repeat after me, soup of the day?
I’ll bet all the shooters in Chicago have this insurance. Murder some innocent kids and adults on the street and then call the insurance company to advise it of a possible claim. Right! Cuomo babbles b.s. from the governor’s mansion and the media laps it up like a kitten and cream. Does Cuomo’s bodyguard contingent carry? I’m sure they do to protect him from all the law abiding conservatives.
Insurance for illegal acts? It is for legal expenses incurred in a defense against (felony?) charges. I thought Americans were presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Also, what is the difference between this and automobile insurance? Usually, when there has been an auto accident, one (or both) of the parties involved has committed some infraction of the “rules-of-the-road”, such as speeding, failure to maintain control, following too closely, passing when it was unsafe to do so, etc. Nevertheless, the insurance company of the party-at-fault pays off. Notice that, they pay off even when their client was on the WRONG-SIDE-OF-THE-LAW! So, why should NRA members be denied insurance that pays legal fees incurred during their defense.
He’s probably very specifically going after the NRA because he knows that New York, and more specifically New York City’s gun laws are likely to show up in front of the supreme court.
Great spin there governor. “murder insurance” sounds so evil. I’m going to go out and get a policy right now.
Then he should get rid of the murders that protect him!
Sorry governor .Break in my house you are meat.
The Shah of New York strikes again.
Cuomo’s excuse is “I believe…” Well, he thinks he is correct about everything he “believes”. He could believe that 2 plus two equals something other than four next, as long as it suits his evil agenda against freedom-loving people…
Coumo has his head so far up his rectum that he will never understand what a loser he is. He’s evil actually.
He’s such a bitter little man
Cuomo is trying to bankrupt the NRA. He figures with them gone the Liberals will have carte blanche to disarm Americans by infringing their rights and devising schemes to confiscate firearms, much like he’s doing to New Yorkers now. I can’t believe they put up with it or the political demographics there makes anyone not a liberal a minority. I know there are democrats fed up with the left’s BS progressive posturing and how it has destroyed the country and divided the people.
If these anti-American liberal cowards are so adamant about disarming law abiding citizens, then every one of their security details should be disarmed as well.
Immunity for gubbmint workers is “murder insurance”
I think its past time to arrest and charge these vermin for crimes against the Constitution and We the People, think about it!