NRA Headquarters

On Monday, the National Rifle Association managed to avoid something they had been working hard to avoid: having to answer to a court-appointed monitor. This comes after a years-long fight with New York Attorney General Letitia James, who (rightly) accused the organization of improperly spending money on personal expenses for its management. First, James attempted to have the organization dissolved, and when courts (again rightfully) saw this as a political attack, she tried to gain control of the organization in other ways.

The first part of the civil trial ended in February, with a jury finding Wayne LaPierre and another executive liable for the stolen money. This left the judge to decide what the appropriate remedies are for what they did. Judge Joel Cohen didn’t want to take the organizations’s political freedom or freedom of speech away with a nanny, but did want to make sure that LaPierre wouldn’t have the opportunity to get back into control of the organization. As such, he issued a 10-year ban on LaPierre’s employment or working with the organization instead of the lifetime ban James sought. With LaPierre now 74 years old, the judge probably felt 10 years was enough.

This outcome was probably only possible because the NRA is actually changing course. LaPierre voluntarily (or more likely was forced by the situation) resigned from the organization before trial. Another executive struck a deal with James, agreeing to return stolen money to the NRA and not rejoin it in any capacity. The remaining organization then appointed new leadership and adopted financial and compliance reforms that (if kept in the long run) will prevent lavish spending on leadership.

The NRA Is Still In a Tight Spot

Dodging a court-appointed nanny is great, but that doesn’t mean it’s over. As one of James’ lawyers pointed out in the trial, the old guard of the NRA that turned a blind eye or consciously enabled the spending still has a lot of sway within the organization. A battle between reform-minded NRA members and those who want to keep the organization as it was still continues, and many of the old guard leadership are close to LaPierre. While they probably won’t be as bold as to let someone siphon funds again, the old guard and reformers have plenty of other things to argue over.

While this internal turmoil goes on, the reputation of the NRA is still in a terrible spot. Completely ignoring what anti-gunners think of the organization (they’re never going to like it), donations and memberships are down and haven’t recovered. Not only do people not like enabling lavish lifestyles in a nonprofit organization that’s supposed to fight for them, but the organization has also been accused of abandoning the fight for gun rights, or at least phoning it in.

After decades of debatable effort on behalf of gun rights and corruption, the NRA now must recover in an environment where they’re not the only gun rights girl in town. Dozens of other organizations, some of whom are making gun owners a lot happier, are now competing with the weakened NRA for funding and memberships. And, in this competitive environment, the NRA has no moat to keep anyone away from the walls. Organizations such as Gun Owners for America and the Firearms Policy Coalition to name just a couple are doing great work.

To survive and thrive, the NRA needs to focus on the basics. Instead of becoming a purely generic conservative political organization, the old guard needs to let reformers bring it back to the gun rights mission that every shooter can embrace. And, non-political things like training (which have been severely neglected) need to start seeing more manpower and resources. If the NRA can leverage its historical good name and prove to people that it’s committed to doing right by all gun owners, it could still have a promising future.

But, if the organization allows itself to become so focused on purely conservative politics (and poor fiscal management), it’s going to potentially miss out on all of the major growth areas for gun ownership (younger people, women, minorities) and continue its decline until it’s no longer relevant. With the NRA still being a big part of the gun rights movement and firearms training, that could threaten the future of gun ownership in the United States and abroad.

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20 COMMENTS

  1. I knew there was a serious issue when LaPierre ran off Chris Cox and Oliver North. He should have been tossed way back then, instead they let him run off the real talent and keep spending the cash. They should have made him return all money spent on personal travel, suits and other expenses unrelated to the normal business of the organization.

    I don’t see the need though to add loads of “training” material. I’ve been a gun owner since I was a kid, and owned my firearms legally since I was 18 by myself. I don’t need more training, I want the NRA to be fighting the good fight against the Biden admin.

  2. I contribute to GOA and SAF in addition to the NRA. Although, I had withheld funds to the NRA for years while WLP was having fun.

    • In agreement with Gadsden Flag, I did the same thing. Whenever the NRA called it was always: No money until Wayne is gone.

    • Unfortunately, just before all that happened I chose to become a life member. I have been disgusted with LaPierre for years and wondered why his shenanigans were allowed to continue. It sounds like they need to send quite a few more people packing with a boot. Of course, nowadays they are so broke they have what, 3 or 4 levels above life member membership? Sorry, I’m not paying for your negligence and stupidity in maintaining funds. Plus nowadays it’s like $1100 to be a life member. I thought it was steep many years back when I paid $500

  3. Well said!! The NRA hasn’t fought for guns rights in court for at least a decade or more. La Pierre was more concerned with personal power and prestige by hanging with the DC elites he was lobbying. I stopped my membership and donations years ago.

    • The NRA said it was going to fight the Hughes Amendment back in 1986 when the full auto ban law was put into place. They haven’t done anything since then, so at least 40 years.

  5. There is no doubt that the NRA is a corrupt organization. It has long been little more than an ATM that dispenses cash to the leadership and their crony vendors. However; this is something that the membership could deal with by not sending them money and voting out the corrupt bastards. Unfortunately; the corrupt bastards are as adept at rigging the balloting as the Democrat Party.

    Regardless of the merits of the NRA case, the NRA should Escape From New York. The bogus persecutions of Donald Trump for non existent crimes demonstrates just how corrupt the State of New York has become. Governor Huchel’s amazingly candid video in which she assured everyone that only President Trump would be subjected to this BS persecution not only proves that the persecutions are fraudulent. However; she shouldn’t be trusted. President Obama’s bastard cousins now control New York. They are committed to wealth redistribution as racial retribution. They have perverted the courts into a weapon to rob their victims. Every White person who has money should leave New York immediately. Toss a thermonuclear hand grenade over your shoulder as you leave your community.

    • “The bogus persecutions of Donald Trump for non existent crimes“

      Trump was convicted by jury of his peers under the rules of the constitution.

      Your continued support of a convicted felon compromises any claim you might make.

  6. The NRA can’t reform itself as long as the board appoints the nominating committee. This is a formula for self-perpetuating the old guard.

    This problem could easily be solved by having the numerous state affiliates make the nominations.

    • And NO the NRA doesn’t need to kowtow to lefties & whatever side you’re “on” Jennifer. Every vote for a Dim is a vote for gat control. And more than a few republicans are suspect too 🙄.

  7. The board needs to be dissolved and a new administration set in place. Until that happens, the NRA will not get another red blooded cent from me. It neglected its mission and its members for far too long. I will continue to vote with my contributions to GOA, FPA, and Gun Owners of California. WLP and his cronies have done untold damage to our 2nd Amendment rights by being asleep at the wheel, with a cash cow in their pockets, and milking the life out of this once fine organization. There is a place reserved in hell for WLP and others who contributed to this obvious malignant behavior.

    • Gun owners of California. I mean no disrespect, but that’s like having a Klan meeting in a black church. Out of place fails to accurately describe it. The best thing for a gun owner to do who lives in CA is move cause it ain’t gonna get any better out there until the San Andreas sends LA, SF and the rest of the liberal cities out there into the bay.

  8. I’d be happy if the NRA just got out of politics, and returned to their old, original mission. NRA should be out in the community, offering training to young shooters, promoting safety among all shooters, and promoting healthy sportsmanship among hunters and other shooters. They should be sponsoring events from turkey shoots to match grade marksmanship to taking young first time hunters out into the field. The NRA should be involved in neighborhood events, training and encouraging first time gun buyers looking for self defense weapons. Return to their roots, and start all over again. If they abandoned politics, and started winning hearts and minds in the neighborhoods, I think we could all be happy. Teaching the next generation the importance of safe gun handling is as important as any other aspect of firearm and firearm control.

    • “I’d be happy if the NRA just got out of politics“

      Correct, and the same goes for the church.

      “NRA should be out in the community, offering training to young shooters“

      Actual community involvement is so much better than cash based politicking.

      “If they abandoned politics, and started winning hearts and minds in the neighborhoods“

      Absolutely, the best way to win hearts and minds.

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