The National Rifle Association (NRA) is terrified of what’s taking place in New York, where Attorney General Letitia James has opened an investigation into the pro-gun group and subpoenaed multiple witnesses, including former president Oliver North.

How terrified? Well, they’ve made the highly unusual move of requesting that lawyers NRA be allowed to sit in next week when the AG deposes former NRA president Oliver North, according to Courthouse News Service:

“At North’s examination, the NRA wants its lawyers present to lodge concise objections aimed at preserving privileges belonging to the NRA, its counsel, and its board counsel, including communications protected by the attorney-client privilege, the work-product doctrine, and as trial-preparation material.”

On her show Friday evening, Rachel Maddow noted that the NRA is so worked up over the subpoena of North by AG James that they went to court and filed suit:

“The reason they’re suing her is because the NRA is apparently quite freaked out about the prospect of what Tish James might hear from one of the people she has subpoenaed. Again, she’s issued more than 90 subpoenas. But what the NRA is suing her about, what they are freaked out about is one of the subpoenas she sent to Oliver North. Yes, that Oliver North, the fellow from the Iran-Contra scandal.”

And all of this does not bode well for the NRA, Maddow warned:

“Whether or not you care about their drama, and how they are or are not resolving things amongst themselves, what is it that Oliver North might say to the New York Attorney general that has the NRA so freaked out that they want their own lawyers there for questioning? I don’t know. Whether or not all this drama engages you, whatever is going on at the NRA with all these guys, it has resulted over these last four months or so, in a cascade of terrible and increasingly damning with embarrassing revelations about what the NRA does. About what happens to the donations that they get from their members and their donors.”

There have been allegations in the past that the NRA may have laundered Russian campaign contributions and then passed those along to the 2016 Trump campaign. If that can be proven, the NRA could be facing racketeering charges, which would be the death knell for them.

Also, without the assistance of the NRA — which spend $30 million to help get Trump elected — the incumbent president could be facing a massive loss as he seeks reelection.

All of this bears watching in the days ahead. Things are getting very interesting.

Here’s Maddow: