Longtime leader of the National Rifle Association (NRA), Wayne LaPierre, is set to stand trial in a corruption case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The state court has recently rejected the NRA's argument that the investigation was politically motivated. LaPierre, who has been at the helm of the NRA for over three decades, is among the four defendants named in James' lawsuit filed in 2020.

Jury selection is expected to commence on Tuesday before State Supreme Court Justice Joel M. Cohen. The trial is scheduled to begin on January 8 and is anticipated to last between six to eight weeks.

In a recent development, a New York state appeals court rejected the NRA's efforts to halt James' corruption investigation. The NRA has consistently claimed that the case is politically motivated, arguing that James violated the group's First Amendment rights. The appellate court, however, unanimously ruled that James' office had sufficient evidence to investigate and sue the NRA.

The court also dismissed the NRA's claim of selective enforcement, stating that other nonprofits facing dissolution had agreed to leadership overhauls. Earlier, in March 2022, Cohen rejected James' bid to dissolve the NRA entirely, citing a lack of evidence supporting the "corporate death penalty."

"We respectfully disagree with this decision, which immunizes governmental actions long thought to be unconstitutional," said NRA counsel William A. Brewer III in response to the court's ruling. Brewer highlighted that the U.S. Supreme Court will address similar issues in an upcoming NRA appeal, expressing confidence that the Court will clarify the First Amendment concerns of retaliatory regulatory enforcement.

James' lawsuit aims to recover millions of dollars in assets and prevent LaPierre and his co-defendants, John Frazer, Wilson Phillips, and Joshua Powell, from serving on the board of any not-for-profit charitable organization in New York in the future. The jury will also decide whether LaPierre and Frazer should be removed and assess the financial obligations of the defendants towards the NRA.

Powell, who was fired from the organization in 2020, has engaged in settlement talks with James' office, but no agreement has been reached yet. In his tell-all book, Powell criticized the NRA for prioritizing financial matters over Second Amendment rights and voiced support for universal background checks and red flag laws.

NRA attorney Brewer noted that James heavily relies on witnesses who are no longer affiliated with the organization, including former president Oliver North and ex-NRA director Phillip Journey, who has become a critic of the group.

Notably, the NRA filed for bankruptcy in Texas almost three years ago amid the New York investigation. However, in May 2021, a federal bankruptcy court in Texas rejected the NRA's bankruptcy petition, citing a lack of good faith filing.

Attorney General Letitia James has previously condemned the NRA publicly, describing it as "an organ of deadly propaganda masquerading as a charity for public good" and a "terrorist organization." Her office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the recent developments.

The trial of Wayne LaPierre and his co-defendants will be closely watched, as it could have significant implications for the future of the NRA and the broader debate on gun rights in the United States.