Supreme Court Hears NRA’s Free Speech Challenge Against NY Official

The Supreme Court wrestled with the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) lawsuit alleging that New York attempted to coerce speech by pressuring insurance companies to cut ties with the gun advocacy group. During the March 18 oral argument, each side contested whether the state attempted to regulate speech or conduct that was illegal, and therefore fell outside of the First Amendment. Neal Katyal, who argued for former New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) Superintendent Maria Vullo, said the state targeted the NRA based on illegal insurance products and therefore was justified in telling companies to cease its work with those. “Ms. Vullo’s position throughout has been there’s not one illegal insurance product, it’s all illegal,” Mr. Katyal said....