(CNN) National Rifle Association suspended its No. 2 official Christopher Cox on Thursday following accusations in a lawsuit that he had aided the attempt to push out the group's CEO Wayne LaPierre, the New York Times reported.

Cox and top aide Scott Christman have been placed on administrative leave, NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam told the Times Thursday. The reported move is the latest revelation of infighting among the nation's foremost gun lobby

In a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday, the NRA alleged that former NRA President Oliver North attempted to oust LaPierre and that "another errant N.R.A. fiduciary, Chris Cox -- once thought by some to be a likely successor for Mr. LaPierre -- participated," according to the Times.

The filing also included text messages between Cox and a board member in which they appear to discuss an attempt to remove LaPierre in an unclear context, the Times reported.

The new lawsuit comes amid existing litigation between the NRA and its longtime advertising firm Ackerman McQueen, with the gun group alleging that the firm attempted to orchestrate a failed coup against the NRA's leadership and worked to smear the organization and LaPierre with leaks about the NRA's finances.

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