Yesterday we wrote about the directors and officers insurance coverage carried by the National Rifle Association. We’ve been getting conflicting reports as to whether that coverage remains in place. Now, based on a new report from the New York Times, that coverage has become even more important to the NRA’s current and former board members.
As you’re probably aware, New York State Attorney General Letitia James is conducting an investigation into the NRA. In addition, the District of Columbia is investigating the NRA’s affiliated charity, the NRA Foundation.
Last night the NY AG’s probe seems to have expanded.
With the gun debate intensifying in the wake of last weekend’s mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, the National Rifle Association’s problems deepened Monday evening as the New York attorney general’s office issued a subpoena seeking documents from more than 90 current and former members of the organization’s board.
The subpoena is an escalation of a continuing investigation into the tax-exempt status of the N.R.A., which is chartered in New York, and engulfs the organization’s board of directors in the inquiry. The subpoena seeks financial records and other documents that would shed light on spending decisions made by the board.
It would appear that James is looking for documentation into the amount of oversight individual members of the board have exerted (or not) over NRA operations. Board members have a fiduciary duty to oversee the operations of the non-profit which is chartered in New York.
A week ago, David Codrea tweeted this:
I am away from internet and unable to verify but this is important if it pans out. A credible Source says a highly placed NRA exec has been offered immunity by the New York AG. @aarmark
— dcodrea (@dcodrea) July 31, 2019
That jibes with reports we’ve been hearing as well that at least one and maybe more current or former members have reached a deal with the New York AG.
The Times report says the NRA denied that their D&O coverage has been cancelled. That’s what the NRA’s Andrew Arulanandam told TTAG over the weekend, too. With the latest news of the NY AG’s widening fishing expedition, that coverage is more important than ever.
Is she looking for broken laws or engaging in harassment?
Yes. The process is also the punishment.
Quota baby bullyin
Yes to both. Keep in mind that she may have the power to order the organization to cease all activity . That is the ultimate goal.
“Keep in mind that she may have the power to order the organization to cease all activity .”
OK, no problem.
When that happens, dissolve the organization and establish a new one in a 2A friendly state…
The problem I see is the NRA has a lot of assets and they may not be able to simply roll those over to a newly chartered version of itself.
“The problem I see is the NRA has a lot of assets and they may not be able to simply roll those over to a newly chartered version of itself.”
Not a problem. Organizations change names and ownership everyday. Assets are transferred without difficulty.
What assets? The NRA is in debt!
Why were they in NY? Has it ever been a gun friendly state?
Victoria Illinois – A Brief History of the NRA: https://home.nra.org/about-the-nra/
Why the organization didn’t do that very thing long ago is anyones guess.
How will we know if they cease all activity? No more fund raising calls?
It means that the organization stops. HQ staff is laid off, funds are frozen. No activities anywhere that are sponsored or paid for. No lobbyists get paid. We lose the voice on Capitol Hill.
“We lose the voice on Capitol Hill that advocated for privileges in the place of exercising unalienable individual rights.”
FIFY
Negotiating Rights Away; a ‘voice’ that should just STFU.
Remember that is what happened to the Trump Foundation. They no longer exist. Period.
As I recall, the Trump Foundation was suppose to be for the benefit of others and not the personal Piggy-Bank of Donald Trump. Much like the NRA’s funds being the personal Piggy-Bank of Wayne LaPierre…
And yet the Clinton Foundation still exists. Go figure.
She’s employing the Arfcom strategy: BOTH.
She’s an enemy of gun rights but she seems to have very similar questions to what most NRA members have.
Dear NY AG: NRA members would like the opportunity to oversee and direct the operations of the NRA. How about getting that for us in a settlement.
If NRA won’t Clean House from within, the State of New York will Clean NRA’s House from without…
The awe and majesty of your government at work. Tyranny never sleeps.
Nothing to stop them now , they are coming for your guns. If they can do it to the NRA, they’ll do it to anybody
And it will not end well for ‘them’.
Maybe if we hadn’t crooks running the NRA?
“If they can do it to the NRA, they’ll do it to anybody”
Negotiating Rights Away did it to themselves,they didn’t need anyones help.
Yup.
All I can say is, “What took the AG so long”?
It’s called a legal ‘slow-walk’, where the process is the punishment…
“It’s called a legal ‘slow-walk’, where the process is the punishment…”
I would have made weeks of comment about the seriousness of the investigation, how it would range far and wide, down to the membership itself. Then backtracking a bit, then going forward in a new direction. Then talking about RICO. Then promising careful investigation so as to not inadvertently damage innocent people. Then about how vigorous I would pursue wrong doers. Then talking about the responsibility for public trust that non-profits accept. Then….
Keep ’em guessing until many start hiring lawyers (that they will never need). And resignations begin to cascade. All without actually doing anything but talk.
The government and news , will now have everyone’s name number, personal information and address of every NRA member, to post to the public
Even if it’s not made public at this time, you can bet your last dollar that they will do their best to get the full membership list, and those will be filed away for possible later use.
So what? An organization made up of members who support the Government’s own framework document? What’s the argument going to be?
“Well, Mr. John Q. Public, we see that you belong(ed) to an organization known to espouse gun rights…”
****
NRA troubles aside, this is focused on the directors. There isn’t any political gain for anyone to go after members when half of those very members (post and current) are unhappy with the directors anyhow.
For what its worth, the USPS has been scanning and digitally imaging your mail for years now. The .gov already had all of that information.
https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Informed-Delivery-The-Basics
“The United States Postal Service® (USPS) digitally images the front of letter-sized mail that runs through our automated mail sorting equipment. USPS is now using those images to provide digital notifications to users in advance of the delivery of physical mail.”
Keep in mind the NRA has a huge database of current and potential gun owners. Any publicly available info on hunting and fishing licenses plus anyone one who has taken an NRA approved training class. That combined with the allegations of russian meddling have made me a little paranoid of joining the NRA. But since my CCW class was NRA approved I guess I might as well have…
Are you a blithering moron?
What Russian meddling? After years of investigation we’ve discovered the ‘red scare’ was in fact a ‘red herring’; that’s code for there was no Russian meddling.
The most they could come up with was during a campaign where the Democrats and the Republicans spent 81 million dollars on adverts on Facebook, a single russian firm spent 75 thousand dollars on ads for their ‘click-bait’ website. And of that 75 thousand spent on adverts, only the first 15 thousand of which accorded before the election.
So 15 thousand worth of adverts could of maybe been used to influence an election where 81 million was spent by the actual participants of the election.
Also, we learned the FBI was never ever allowed to see the server that was “hacked”, but the DCCC extra pinky promises it was totes the meanie Russians who did it, and that’s why Hilary lost…
And definitely not FBI Director Comey saying, two days before election day, that he was totally starting a new investigation with brand new evidence on Hilary’s illegal activities. Sure, after the election he mentioned there was no ‘new’ evidence. just all the old evidence that said she was dirty, just not criminal.
Frankly it makes me laugh that folks are losing their minds over “Russian meddling” in the elections. It pales in comparison to good ol’ American meddling everywhere else, and in our own elections.
When the dust settles, perhaps it will become clear that the real NRA is the membership, not the leadership.
Exactly!!!
It’s strength can’t be from the actual members. I’ve been told it’s the massive gun lobby. All those gun companies that keep going in and out of bankruptcy. You never hear this kind of criticism about AARP.
WLP’s leadership failed. This is gonna show he’s been profiting from his kickback to his big dem lawyer Brewer. They get rich off our backs.
If the NRA is claiming tax exempt status and skullduggery is suspected, they’re expected to investigate.
If the money that we’ve paid has been spent on dubious expenditures, this will certainly affect my inclination to continue my membership.
Sucks to be the NRA board members or WLP…
They turned their backs on us years ago, I’m not about to stop what I’m doing to defend them.
Will they demand Trumps tax records too?
It’s amazing how many “2nd amendment supporters” are brain washed into believing this is a good thing or thinking “well fuck the NRA hurr durr”.
Heres a dose of reality. The NRA might have problems but it is the loudest voice we have and arguably the most relevant gun rights organization on a national scale. If the NRA goes tits up or is hamstrung going into 2020 that could hurt. Bad. If Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren or anybody from the 2020 Democrat clown car wins all you sanctimonious “purists” will LONG for the days when all you had to be mad about was trump.
Here here and thank you
The NRA is the ONLY “gun rights” organization endorsing red flag laws and the bump stock ban. The ONLY, hence the “quotes”. The NRA isn’t an actual gun rights organization. It’s a scam. While actual gun rights organizations have denounced President Trump’s call for gun control, the NRA said, let’s negotiate, and has already endorsed flag laws.
Let’s not forget how this whole investigation started. It was the disastrous NRA Carry Guard Insurance that paid convicted criminals 20% coverage, which is illegal. Not a single person at the NRA has been held accountable or this. Then, the corrupt relationship between the NRA and Ackerman McQueen fell apart and malfeasance and potentially criminal activity by the NRA leadership was uncovered.
Thanks to the actions of the current NRA leadership, the NRA appears to be broken beyond repair. Well, not completely, the only still functioning aspect at the NRA seems to be the willingness to continue to Negotiate Rights Away.
By the way, the Democrat presidential candidates can thank President Trump and the NRA for creating precedent on gun control by executive fiat. Using the bump stock ban as a template, it will be easy for them to ban all semi-automatic firearms.
“If the NRA goes tits up or is hamstrung going into 2020 that could hurt.”
A result laid squarely at the feet of NRA leadership, not the members.
“If …. anybody from the 2020 Democrat clown car wins all you sanctimonious “purists” will LONG for the days when all you had to be mad about was trump. ”
The anti-gun mob does not rely on a single organization, or a single left-wing billionaire. If all the gun owners have is a single, corrupt, government collaborating pseudo non-profit standing between gun grabbers and the constitution, the game is already over; the contest has become a siege, and it is only a matter of time.
“it is the loudest voice we have and arguably the most relevant gun rights organization on a national scale.”
They haven’t ever, nor are they now, representing me anywhere, sweetheart.
Negotiating Rights Away is, was, and will be poison. Good riddance.
Who’s the next do you think, the GOA for hate speech? Or the SAF for being white supremacist? Or maybe the redneck revolt for having a name that causes snowflakes to melt? Who’s the next to be investigated and have some dumb-ass reason for it ???? And what if they come up with nothing? Will you get off your asses then? Divide and conquer, is their motto and it’s working on us , you going to be next, because you stood up and spoke out and they say it’s hate speech???? When is America going to get mad and stand up? But I guess as long as you can say they deserved it oh, but what if it’s you?
Did the GOA or SAF commit tax fraud by laundering non-profit donations through a for-profit contractor? That is what the NRA did, among other malfeasance. That is why the NRA is being investigated by 2 state AGs and by the IRS.
When I was on the NRA Board in 1992, I suggested to the NRA attorney at a Board meeting that, given that many states were liberalizing their non-profit statutes, it was time to move the NRA’s state of incorporation AWAY from New York. An easy move for corporate lawyers. NRA did nothing to move to a friendly state.
Just another example of dropping the ball.
Here comes the invitation for Wayne and his sycophants vacation at the gray bar hotel,with other scum bags of their ilk.
And–what about the clinton money-laundering foundation? Hmm–just thinkin’….
They’re in the “correct” side of the witch hunters. It seems crazy to me that the right never pursues the left for their very real malfeasance, but the left can make up BS to use as justification for mercilessly pursuing the right. Would be nice to see some of this extreme partisanship result in real prosecutions and prison for real damage done to our country. But the politicians just make noise, they don’t produce anything more useful than CO2. Maybe they’re the root cause of global warming?
So if the Clinton Foundation got such a huge pass and I mean HUGE, why us now? Oh yeah, now I remember…
Wherever free men exist, there shall be organizations that aid them in keeping their Constitutional rights, and exercising their freedoms. The NRA is an idea, not a building. If they shut it down we open another one, like the NBA, NFL, etc. National Rifle Association is not about rifles, it’s about People.
Good Lord, I hope nobody rebuilds another Negotiating Right Away! Hopefully, anything that follows will staunchly defend the exercise of rights and not sell all of the fools on privileges in its place.
With all the talk about the NRA being put out of business, and who’s going to replace it, no one is talking about what the gun owners will do if the liberals pass total gun control. Being a strict “Original Intent Constitutionalist” my concern is the start of the Second Civil War! A lot of the gun owners that I talk to have clearly stated that they will not give up their guns, and will do whatever it takes to keep them. I’m not sure how that would play out, but it’s something to think about. My other thought is moving the NRA to a gun friendly state and reincorporating as a Non Profit there make the most sense.
Should somehow 100% confiscation were to pass congress and the executive, the next step will be a lot of shouting, then the lawsuits begin. it will likely take ten years to reach SC. Should the court uphold confiscation, the next bit of entertainment will be watching the cops decide whether they want to be the agents to deliver the warrants.
Immediate 100% confiscation has never been the game plan. They are happy to take 20-25% at a time, so are, unfortunately, also many gun owners. As long they are not affected, they don’t care.
How many gun owners were opposed to the bump stock ban that outlawed $100,000,000 in privately owned property overnight? SCOTUS dind’t even blink on that one and did not issue an injunction.
One hope may actually be that the Democrats are overplaying their hand and go full retard on gun control. Laws that can not be enforced due to massive non-compliance are meaningless.
The public understands there are millions of guns out there, legally owned. When a state establishes confiscation, and fails to get the desired result, the public in the other 49 states do not become outraged. On a national level, the public just may become outraged at a promise not kept. After national confiscation law is in effect, the next mass shooting with an outlawed weapon presents a whole ‘nuther proposition.
We have seen elected sheriffs refuse to enforce certain gun control laws. Sheriffs are beholden to their constituents, people who can turn a sheriff out of office tout de suite’. Sheriffs are not police, police are beholden to the politicians who feed them. To date, we have not heard of any police departments with a blanket statement of non-compliance to gun control laws. In the cities, it is the police departments where cops will have that crystallizing moment when they will fish, or cut bait regarding rounding up guns.
In any event, it will all be very interesting times to live in.
Who is going to replace the NRA? How about those that have been fighting for quite some time and that the NRA has been claiming their victories from? The Second Amendment Foundation won Heller and McDonald. The NRA was an 11th-hour participant and an obstructionist before on those cases. How about the Firearms Policy Coalition and the Gun Owners of America? Both are currently fighting the bump stock ban and other prohibitions.
I am hearing a lot of this civil war talk, but is is typically just venting and chest thumping. The same people that say they are ready for civil war are too lazy to assemble at their state capitol to protest gun laws. Watching professional sports or not taking a day off seems to be more important. Don’t count on these folks. They will line up with their MOLON LABE shirts to turn in their guns.
They also have no clue what civil war actually means. Are they ready to shoot their neighbors in the face? What about their co-workers? Or their family members? Have they ever talked to someone who served in a civil war region, like Kosovo? Civil war is not something to look forward too.
The NRA leadership is not in the business of making sense and has bigger problems right now than to move its charter, like not going to jail for decades of corruption and mismanagement. Since the NRA Board failed to take preemptive actions in the past months, the NRA is likely going to die a slow and painful death.
I concur with a lot of what you have to say. What, indeed, will replace the NRA, our current major national-level lobbying group to fight gun control. SAF and similar groups are a lot smaller. Would the state pro-gun associations (such as the VCDL in Virginia) group together to form an NRA successor group. Inquiring minds want to know…
And I agree that all the talk here and on other forums about the “coming civil war” over guns is a lot of venting and chest-beating by (rightfully) frustrated and angry guys. Civil war can be a lot dirtier and nastier than a conventional war. Those interested in history have only to look at the civil war in the Carolinas and Georgia during our own Revolutionary War, or the infighting between pro and anti-Union elements in western Virginia/West Virginia to know that. The war I was in, Vietnam, was essentially a civil war between North Vietnam/the Viet Cong and South Vietnam and us – and it was very nasty – in addition to killing the enemy (and they us), there was a LOT of collateral damage against civilians. And a lot of guys who say, with respect to civil war, “Yeah, bring it on!” have probably never been to war. Very few people who have actually been to war and seen what it’s like want to go again. So IMHO a lot of these guys are like most other war enthusiasts – lots of war talk but damned little practical experience of how the thing actually works. And it’s a young person’s business – somehow, I just can’t see me (70 with heart problems) out there in the bush doing the snoop-and-poop petite guerre business against the forces of gun confiscation. How many of you fit that profile? My level of resistance will probably occur at my front door. How it will all turn out, I don’t know.
The legal system generally does not forbid a successor company (or court appointed receiver) from acquiring, transferring, novating the corporate name as part of a judgement. The NRA is not the leadership, it is the mission backed by the membership. There just may be enough name-brand directors on the board who are actual 2A defenders. Their names would be known to the politicians lobbied. The NRA brand would still carry weight. Many organizations are taken over by successors, everyday.
Documents show NRA discussion to purchase $6-Million Luxury Mansion for its Chief Executive to use…
(https://wapo.st/2Olf7ka?tid=ss_mail)
Negotiating Rights Away was no Harambe. I won’t shed a tear.
Wayne & Co. sold us out. Depending on the charter, revisions, mission statement and by-laws they (BoD and Executive leadership) May or may not be on the hook big time. I very honestly hope WLP, Cox, Hammer and about 30 others see their personal assets seized and then go to prison.
Members have been deceived, misled and outright stolen from for who knows how long. WLP is at best a welterweight at what he was hired to do but did excel at giving away what was not his to give. He (on our behalf) sold us out for access and political expediency countless times. His value on Capitol Hill wasn’t his legislative might nearly as much as was his economic value to the stuffed shirts he was wining and dining onour dime.
NRA can survive this storm but WLP needs to be gone yesterday and the membership must be returned it’s right to drive the organization.
Sadly, this is all fodder for 2020. Even with at least one strong 2A SCOTUS decision likely headed our way, the anti’s will get big mileage out of a corrupt NRA.
All this will be used by the left against the right/POTG, when the sad reality is the POTG were predated upon by their (leftist) kind- stinking lawyers/lobbyists. If ever there was a pro-big-state creature it’s a lobbyist.
I see that some have their doubts about a Civil War. I like them hope that it never comes to that. However you need to consider that this country came into existence as a result of a Civil War. Read your history, and yes a large number of British subjects living here opposed that war. The revolutionary citizens accepted the risk, and ultimately won that war. It will come down to a personal decision of do you want to live in a socialist nation, without any rights? Or are you willing to fight to save your freedoms? I continue to hope that it won’t come to the time that I have to make that decision.
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