quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

This anonymous piece from a longtime lawyer and NRA watcher....

Who's to say this "anonymous longtime lawyer and NRA watcher" isn't associated with the DNC??? Thanks but no thanks. The NRA is the biggest threat to the Democratic Party and the Left-wing trash that runs it. If it wasn't so effective, Hillary Clinton would be president right now, we'd have two more leftwing members of the Supreme Court, and we'd probably be on the way to seeing the complete dismantling of the 2nd Amendment.

The NRA certainly isn't perfect, but they've done more for gunowners historically than any other organization and the hatred spewed by our opponents speaks volumes. The last thing we need is a "forensic audit" conducted by who, Robert Mueller???

If it were a Democrat, we'd be hearing this all over the popular media eight months from the election rather than on a relatively obscure blog site sixteen months from the election. Now is a very good time for the NRA to clean house.

quote:

Originally posted by pulicords:

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

This anonymous piece from a longtime lawyer and NRA watcher....

Who's to say this "anonymous longtime lawyer and NRA watcher" isn't associated with the DNC??? Thanks but no thanks. The NRA is the biggest threat to the Democratic Party and the Left-wing trash that runs it. If it wasn't so effective, Hillary Clinton would be president right now, we'd have two more leftwing members of the Supreme Court, and we'd probably be on the way to seeing the complete dismantling of the 2nd Amendment.

The NRA certainly isn't perfect, but they've done more for gunowners historically than any other organization and the hatred spewed by our opponents speaks volumes. The last thing we need is a "forensic audit" conducted by who, Robert Mueller???

The way I understand it, is that law firm has ties to big time Dimwhitcraps, sooooooo....

I have read that somewhere, I just can't remember where, but Rush Limbaugh was talking about that a week or so ago.

ARman

quote:

The NRA certainly isn't perfect, but they've done more for gunowners historically than any other organization and the hatred spewed by our opponents speaks volumes. The last thing we need is a "forensic audit" conducted by who, Robert Mueller???

This was an understandable attitude immediately after the story of corruption broke. We all know the reality of fake news, and the relentless hostility of the left toward the NRA.

But given the details that have since come to light regarding inexcusable extravagance on the part of LaPierre and others-- villas in Italy, lavish buying sprees on Rodeo Drive-- along with (to me) trusted figures like Allen West saying "something's rotten here,"-- it's past time to circle the wagons.

NRA is harming themselves every day they fail to announce that they have begun a systematic investigation, including a forensic audit, and pledge to recommit themselves fully to the important mission they undertook long ago.

The alternative is that Wayne and cronies will drag the NRA down to a slow death.

Every time that I received a solicitation for more money, I responded with a note asking what Wayne LaPerre's total compensation was, and how much of that did he contribute.

I never received an answer, so I did not send more money.

By the way, I am an NRA Life Member.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Every time that I received a solicitation for more money, I responded with a note asking what Wayne LaPerre's total compensation was, and how much of that did he contribute.

I never received an answer, so I did not send more money.

By the way, I am an NRA Life Member.

^^^Ditto^^^

Surely, you guys know the fundraising letters from the NRA are prepared and printed by and returned to direct mail houses, not NRA staff at their Fairfax HQ. No one is going to read anything but the check amount you put into one of those envelopes. If you want to get your letter read by someone who really can answer it or pass it along to the right person, you have to find a specific staffer at the NRA and send it to them. And this does work. I got hold of Wayne's personal assistant to get him to sign a photo of him and me together and it took no time at all, and Wayne remembered it the next time I saw him. BTW, Wayne's wife works for one of the direct mail houses that does a lot of work for conservative groups. I can imagine they get plenty of NRA work, but they work for lots of other conservative orgs. I once had a job sorting direct mail responses. We got the stuff after the bank was done taking the checks and credit card numbers out of the responses. On average we found about $1000 per day they had missed. Not once did anyone read any of the responses, notes, letters, etc. You really need to direct that stuff to individual people and at the proper address.

Liberty Doll put together what seems to be a good summary of the NRA issues: NRA issues

quote:

Originally posted by justjoe:

quote:

The NRA certainly isn't perfect, but they've done more for gunowners historically than any other organization and the hatred spewed by our opponents speaks volumes. The last thing we need is a "forensic audit" conducted by who, Robert Mueller???

This was an understandable attitude immediately after the story of corruption broke. We all know the reality of fake news, and the relentless hostility of the left toward the NRA.

But given the details that have since come to light regarding inexcusable extravagance on the part of LaPierre and others-- villas in Italy, lavish buying sprees on Rodeo Drive-- along with (to me) trusted figures like Allen West saying "something's rotten here,"-- it's past time to circle the wagons.

NRA is harming themselves every day they fail to announce that they have begun a systematic investigation, including a forensic audit, and pledge to recommit themselves fully to the important mission they undertook long ago.

The alternative is that Wayne and cronies will drag the NRA down to a slow death.

^^ THIS ^^

Steering a large organization is like steering a supertanker full of crude oil. You can’t turn on a dime (it’s measured in miles not feet). However, only an reckless fool would do nothing and keep heading to the rocky shore at the same speed and steering angle. Hemorrhaging money, hiding expenditures, and executives focused on enriching themselves instead of organization mission purposes is unsustainable and the same as continuing to steer towards the rocky shore at full speed with all of the compartments full of precious cargo the captain & crew were entrusted to deliver safely.

I want the 800 lb gorilla of gun rights around for decades defending our 2A rights. IMO, the best way to achieve this may be painful short-term but we frankly have 18 months or more of a pretty low risk time to make leadership changes, accounting controls changes, BoD governance changes, and policy changes. For example, having a BoD of 6 dozen people rarely leads to good organizational governance and frankly having 6-dozen BoD members is usually intentional to prevent BoD from having much say on anything (ie too many opinions, too many factions, and too many people with trivial levels of involvement).

agreed

the NRA as an organization is great - doing what it needs to do and it is our best friend due to its lobby ability

however the leadership is questionable

https://www.washingtontimes.co...wsuit-against-gun-r/

NRA donor files class-action suit; claims VP LaPierre blew $275K on suits, $243K on 'luxury travel'
Lawsuit seeks restitution for donation solicitation 'fraud'

By David Sherfinski - The Washington Times - Wednesday, August 7, 2019

A major National Rifle Association donor sued the gun-rights organization this week for fraud, saying its leaders have misspent money over the last four years, ignoring the group’s core mission while paying for expensive clothing and trips for CEO Wayne LaPierre.

David Dell’Aquila filed a federal class-action lawsuit in Tennessee and fired off letters to the attorneys general in New York and Washington on Wednesday, urging them to complete investigations into the NRA well before the 2020 election.

“We feel that the NRA no longer represents its membership and has been corrupted by those in control,” said Mr. Dell’Aquila, who has given about $100,000 worth of cash and gifts to the group in the last several years and — until recently — had pledged most of his estate to the group when he died.

The lawsuit is the latest headache for the gun-rights organization, which has been rocked this year by the departure of top staffers including President Oliver North and former top strategist Chris Cox, and parted ways with its longtime advertising agency after a public dispute over finances.

The NRA is also facing probes by the attorneys general in New York and Washington over financial activities, with the organization’s coveted nonprofit status at risk.

Mr. Dell’Aquila, in his new lawsuit that posted to the Middle District of Tennessee on Wednesday, says the NRA under Mr. LaPierre has drifted from its “core mission” of protecting gun owners’ rights and promoting firearm safety.

He lists nearly $275,000 he says the NRA spent on clothes for Mr. LaPierre at a Beverly Hills store and more than $243,000 on “luxury travel” for him to destinations such as the Bahamas and Palm Beach, Florida.

And citing a memo Mr. North wrote in April, the new lawsuit says the NRA has paid the Brewer law firm nearly $2 million a month but the money was “not properly authorized by the NRA.” Mr. North had told NRA officials the payments to the Brewer firm, which is representing the organization in a lawsuit against New York, were “draining NRA cash at mind-boggling speed.”

NRA President Carolyn Meadows called the expenditures and legal fees in question “stale news” that’s been “recycled by those with personal agendas.”

“I have full confidence in Wayne LaPierre, the Brewer firm, and the substantial amount of work being done in support of the NRA and our members,” she said.

snip

quote:

Originally posted by ch3:

NRA President Carolyn Meadows called the expenditures and legal fees in question “stale news” that’s been “recycled by those with personal agendas.”

“I have full confidence in Wayne LaPierre, the Brewer firm, and the substantial amount of work being done in support of the NRA and our members,” she said.

Maybe she needs to be shown the door as well.

quote:

Originally posted by ch3:

NRA donor files class-action suit; claims VP LaPierre blew $275K on suits, $243K on 'luxury travel'
Lawsuit seeks restitution for donation solicitation 'fraud'

By David Sherfinski - The Washington Times - Wednesday, August 7, 2019

As if we really need this crap right now.

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
snip

quote:

Originally posted by ch3:

NRA President Carolyn Meadows called the expenditures and legal fees in question “stale news” that’s been “recycled by those with personal agendas.”

“I have full confidence in Wayne LaPierre, the Brewer firm, and the substantial amount of work being done in support of the NRA and our members,” she said.

Maybe she needs to be shown the door as well.

She sounds like a Democrat.
Bad deeds become less bad as time moves on.
If enough time passes the guilty party is eventually exonerated.

Another NRA board member resigns as turmoil sweeps through organization

By Emily Jacobs August 13, 2019 | 11:16am | Updated

A fourth person has resigned from the National Rifle Association’s board of directors amid turmoil sweeping through the top ranks of the gun rights group, according to a report.

Julie Golob, a gun rights advocate and professional sport shooter, announced Monday she was resigning from the 76-member board before her three-year term was up, the Washington Post reported.

“I am proud to have had the opportunity to represent the members of the National Rifle Association but I can no longer commit to fulfilling the duties of a director,” Golob wrote in a blog post on her website.

The former director did not offer a reason for her departure, only apologizing to supporters and saying her resignation was in the interest of her family.

“This was not a decision I made lightly. I apologize to those members who have supported me that I will not be completing the full 3-year term. I also feel this is the best decision for me and my family.”


Golob’s departure follows the resignations of three other board members in the last two weeks.

Esther Schneider, Sean Maloney and Timothy Knight quit in a joint resignation letter Aug. 1 that was obtained by the Washington Post.

The paper reports the three wrote that they were stripped of their committee assignments in retaliation for asking questions about NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre’s lavish spending and other financial excesses.

“While our belief in the NRA’s mission remains as strong today as ever, our confidence in the NRA’s leadership has been shattered,” they wrote.

NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre
NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierreGetty Images
“We have been stonewalled, accused of disloyalty, stripped of committee assignments and denied effective counsel necessary to properly discharge our responsibilities as Board members.”


NRA president Carolyn Meadows thanked Golob for her service and wrote in a statement to the paper: “Julie, a gifted shooter, will continue to support the NRA’s programs. We proudly welcome her ongoing support of our organization.”

The NRA has been roiled by inner turmoil as well as increased scrutiny in the wake of the two mass shootings that claimed 31 lives in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.


In April, LaPierre publicly accused Oliver North, the newly installed NRA president, of extortion in an effort to have the chief executive ousted from his long-held position.

LaPierre alleged that North threatened to send a letter containing allegations of sexual harassment and excessive spending to the board unless he resigned.


North stepped down as president shortly after the extortion accusations were made public.

He said in his departure announcement that the “clear crisis [in the organization] … needs to be dealt with” if the NRA is going to survive, adding that he believed a committee should be set up to address the organization’s finances.

The NRA did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment on the four resignations.

https://nypost.com/2019/08/13/...hrough-organization/

Great Value Stephen King really needs to just fuck off. He is not an asset to the organization.

quote:

Mr. Dell’Aquila, in his new lawsuit that posted to the Middle District of Tennessee on Wednesday, says the NRA under Mr. LaPierre has drifted from its “core mission” of protecting gun owners’ rights and promoting firearm safety

I welcome this lawsuit. Sometimes that's the only way to bring about change.

This lavish spending LaPiere is accused of doing- he was using the money from NRA members. All those phone calls, emails (and in the ancient past, snail mail letters) you've received, breathlessly telling how so VERY VITAL it is for you to give the NRA your hard-earned money so that they can fight for your Second Amendment rights? Yeah, imagine LaPierre getting a manicure at an expensive day spa, while clothed in a 600 dollar bathrobe, and with cucumbers on his eyes. He then puts on a 4500 dollar suit and gets on a private jet which costs 10 grand for the weekend.

That is where your money has been going. How long did it take you to earn each of those dollars? And LaPierre just wipes his ass with your money.

LaPierre needs to be gone, immediately, and while I have absolutely no love for the IRS, they should audit his ass for each of the past seven years.

The NRA needs to get its shit together. Now, more than ever, we need their lobbying power, but, right now, they look like a bunch of distracted ass clowns who couldn't successfully lobby for a new handicap parking spot in front of their own building.

The NRA is chartered in New York and the NY Attorney General's look into NRA spending habits is an existential threat. If it can be proven money was spent incorrectly, NRA could lose its non-profit status and have all their money taken by the state of NY.

quote:

This lavish spending LaPiere is accused of doing

Let the facts be presented, then burn him at the stake, not before.