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The Political Scene | The New Yorker

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

The Woman Who Took On the N.R.A. After Two Gun Suicides

Jul 30, 2026 · 57m

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On this episode

About this episode

The New Yorker contributor Mike Spies joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss the story of a woman who lost two partners to suicide by firearm and then spent years in a legal battle with the National Rifle Association over her late partner’s retirement savings. They talk about the role that gun ownership and decades of messaging from the N.R.A. played in her second partner’s descent into paranoia, extremism, and abuse. They also explore the link between firearm access and suicide, how gun-rights organizations have sought to cast doubt on research connecting the two, and the current state of the debate over gun rights and gun safety. This episode mentions suicide and suicidal thoughts. If you are…