Stories covered:
-https://thereload.com/new-york-agrees-to-stop-requiring-social-media-disclosures-for-gun-permits/
-https://thereload.com/canadian-mandatory-buyback-nets-few-turn-ins-despite-spending-tens-of-thousands-per-firearm/
-https://thereload.com/analysis-people-transporting-guns-have-long-enjoyed-broad-protection-under-the-law/
-https://www.courthousenews.com/eighth-circuit-presses-challenge-to-minnesota-gun-permit-law/
-https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/us/politics/brandon-hererra-guns-youtube.html?unlocked_article_code=1.TVA.zoAS.4JAqMFpS9nIL&smid=url-share
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/californias-unconstitutional-kids-gun-ad-law-is-fully-blocked

To talk about the latest developments, we have NRA board member Rocky Marshall on the show this week. He joined us from the group's latest board meeting in Texas and said the group is focused on the future.

Marshall, who has been a staunch critic of former leader Wayne LaPierre and the Brewer law firm, said the board is now united in its focus. He broke the news that LaPierre has now paid back the millions of dollars the New York jury said he owed the NRA. He also said the group's new leadership, including CEO Doug Hamlin and top lobbyist John Commerford, is secure in their positions.

Marshall outlined his view of what the NRA needs to do in the coming months and years to regain the trust of the millions of members who've fled the group over the corruption. And he announced a new, much larger campaign for the reformer block in this year's NRA election.

Special Guest: Rocky Marshall.

Phil Journey joins the show to explain why he emailed Judge Joel Cohen seeking to join the trial separately from the NRA and the Attorney General's office.

He argued that neither the NRA's lawyers nor the AG truly represented him or the NRA's membership. He said the judge should remove the Brewer firm from representing the group, and he should listen to what NRA members want over what the AG wants. Journey said he had been encouraged when candidates he backed won most of the leadership elections a few months back, but he grew disillusioned with how things have played out since then.

Journey admitted the intervention request is a long shot, but he felt it was still the best way forward. He accused new NRA President Bob Barr of withholding committee appointments to try and control reformers--something Barr and the NRA deny. He argued the best path forward is for him to be able to argue his own point of view in court.

Click this link for your free trial from our sponsor The Dispatch: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=reload0624

Special Guest: Phillip Journey.

Thanks to the support of Reload Members, I've been able to cover much of the case from inside the Manhattan court where it's happening. This is vital because there is no live stream of the proceedings and the transcripts aren't made available until well after the events of the day, if at all. So, spending the resources to be up there is vital to understanding what is actually happening in a case that will affect the future of the nation's largest gun-rights group, which has received only modest coverage from major media outlets.

Jake asked me about how the closing arguments went. I did my best to summarize what the NRA, Wayne LaPierre, the group's top lawyer, and its former treasurer put up as their defense. And how the office of Attorney General Letitia James tried to rebut those arguments.

I did my best to explain, but the answer went on for a while, and I wasn't able to hit every point. I probably could have talked for another several hours on how the case unfolded over the course of six weeks or even just the closing arguments, which went on for eight hours.

Jake also asked me to predict the outcome of the case based on everything I saw in court. I don't think it's possible to predict exactly how the jury will rule on the many, many questions they have to resolve. But I did think significant parts of the jury instructions make an overall win for the NRA, LaPierre, and others very difficult to imagine.

After going over my time at the NRA trial, we discussed my on-the-ground experience during Donald Trump's speech at the Great American Outdoor Show. The rally took place in Pennsylvania, a key state in what's looking like an inevitable rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden. But it wasn't as newsworthy as I'd expected it to be since the NRA didn't actually announce its endorsement of Trump.

Instead, it was much more akin to a normal Trump rally. Trump made some specific promises about gun policy, but none of them were new. 

The lack of an endorsement felt especially odd since the political speech was a new component of the event, and no other politician was invited, including Trump's remaining Republican opponent, Nikki Haley. And the speech was run like a rally, with the NRA repeatedly heaping praise on Trump and calling for him to be president again.

The rally also featured moments where the crowd was encouraged to yell their shared disdain at the media in the room in what has been a staple of Trump rallies for years but which also fell more ominous after the events of January 6th. The crowd was energetic at points, cheering and laughing at Trump's now-familiar routine. But they also quieted down through long stretches of his stream-of-consciousness asides and the venue that started nearly full of Trump supporters was about half empty by the time he wrapped up an hour and 15 minutes after he'd arrived.

Plus, I interviewed Jake about what happened to the rebranded effort to ban AR-15s and other guns in New Mexico.

To better understand exactly what's at stake in the case, I've brought on an expert in not just non-profit law but New York non-profit law. Pace University Law Professor James Fishman, who has written extensively on the subject, joins the show to give us some expert insight into the facts of the case and the potential outcomes. He provides an overview of what to expect once the case ends.

Fishman argued the admitted misappropriation of funds by current and former NRA leadership, especially former CEO Wayne LaPierre, put the group in serious legal jeopardy. He also dismissed many of the arguments the group and its leadership have used in the case thus far.

He painted a dim picture of the group's chances for success in the case.

Fishman did admit New York Attorney General Letitia James (D.) erred when describing the NRA as a "terrorist organization" during her campaign. But he explained the NRA's repeated attempts to use her comments as a defense in the case failed because the AG built her case around provable instances of corruption and misappropriation of funds that have left the NRA in dire straights. He argued those facts would weigh more on the judge and jury than the AG's rhetoric.

As for the likely outcome, Fishman said the NRA will likely end up with a court-appointed overseer in charge of vetting its financial decisions. He said the overseer could also force reform on the group's 76-member board and its opaque bylaws.

Plus, Contributing Writer Jake Fogleman and I discuss the Hawaiian Supreme Court ruling putting the "Spirit of Aloha" above gun rights.

Special Guest: James Fishman.

Joining us on the show is Tzvi Waldman to discuss the New York State Jewish Gun Club's challenge to the ban on guns in places of worship. He argued the law, which keeps even those who are licensed by the state and authorized by their faith leader to carry from doing so, is unconstitutional. And he said it puts worshipers at greater risk of attack.

Waldman said the law forces Jewish worshipers to choose between their First Amendment and Second Amendment rights. He noted the new restriction, which wasn't part of the state's previously-struck-down law, comes as antisemitism is on the rise. He said both threats and acts of violence against Jews have increased in recent months.

Ultimately, he said the group plans to fight this case all the way up to the Supreme Court if necessary.

He also talked at length about how the club has tried to destigmatize gun ownership for a lot of Jews. He said the Holocaust has served as both a catalyst for Jews to arm themselves and a reason many fear firearms. But Waldman's group is trying to normalize gun ownership and provide a community for Jews who do decide to buy guns.

Plus, Contributing Writer Jake Fogleman and I explain the Third Circuit's decision to uphold the non-violent felon gun ban.

Special Guest: Tzvi Waldman.

With New York's restrictive gun-carry law being struck down, more people will actually be able to carry in the state. So, it's essential to understand who some of those people are and why they want to carry in the first place. That's why we have Laura E. Adkins on the show.

Adkins recently wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times on her desire to arm herself.

As a single woman living in New York City, she doesn't always feel totally secure. She described a fatal shooting of another woman nearby her home as one reason why. Police response times are another.

Beyond basic safety concerns, though, Adkins said a recent relationship ended poorly, and she now feels increasingly threatened by her former partner. She obtained a restraining order but was told she likely wouldn't qualify for a carry permit under the now-defunct law.

Adkins said she is hopeful the Supreme Court's ruling will mean she can obtain one soon. But she also recognized the new restrictions New York officials implemented in response to the decision will limit her options even if she does get a permit.

Plus, Contributing Writer Jake Fogelman and I discuss the Congressional reaction to the July 4th mass shooting.

Special Guest: Laura E. Adkins.