Emily Compagno predicts NY lawsuit against NRA will backfire, disturb Biden's moderate supporters
'The Five' co-host Hegseth calls gun rights 'front-and-center, kitchen table issue' for many Americans
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A new lawsuit against the National Rifle Association (NRA) will likely hurt presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden with moderate voters this fall, "The Five" co-host Emily Compagno said Thursday.
"The question remains why now? Why this timing?" Compagno said of the move by New York Attorney General Letitia James to sue the NRA with the goal of dissolving the organization.
"It seems pretty obvious that it's for a strategy in an election year ... but I do note that it's sort of questionable ..." she added. "Joe Biden was already leading in the polls without this [gun rights] being a front-and center-issue and this seeks to disturb the moderates.
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NEW YORK AG SEEKS TO DISSOLVE NRA IN NEW LAWSUIT
The National Rifle Association submitted its own civil suit Thursday, alleging that James “made the political prosecution of the NRA a central campaign theme” when she was running for the New york AG’s office in 2018, and has not treated the association fairly since.
Trump chimed in on Twitter Thursday afternoon, writing, "Just like Radical Left New York is trying to destroy the NRA, if Biden becomes President your GREAT SECOND AMENDMENT doesn’t have a chance. Your guns will be taken away, immediately and without notice. No police, no guns!"
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"Fox & Friends Weekend" host Pete Hegseth praised Trump for understanding that "if you want to protect your First Amendment freedom and liberty you ultimately need the ability to defend yourself."
"Here's the thing," Hegseth said. "I've got a guy who I buy guns from in New Jersey and his common refrain is 'Barack Obama is the best gun salesman America ever had because of his threats to reduce the Second Amendment.'"
NRA FIGHTS BACK, FILES ITS OWN SUIT
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"He said he's never seen [more] people, first-time gun owners, come out to buy personal protective firearms than he has in the last couple of months. You cant find firearms ... it's because when you have the COVID situation, when you have lawlessness in our streets, individual citizens left, center, and right realize if you want to protect your First Amendment freedom and liberty you ultimately need the ability to defend yourself."
"And so," Hegseth added, "President Trump, yes, we're in a COVID moment, yes, the economy matters, but he understands cultural issues are key as well."
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Hegseth then predicted the election will come down to "God, guns, Texas gold, energy, religious liberty, the ability to defend yourself and whether or not we will allow the industry to thrive," Hegseth said.
This "is a front-and-center, kitchen table issue for a lot of people and the Second Amendment, Joe Biden wants to take it away, Donald Trump wants to preserve it," he argued. "That's one that he believes and a lot of people believe is a winner for him."
Fox News' Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.