Enemy Within : NRA 2018 Board Election Commentary by Marion Hammer

By Marion P. Hammer,
NRA Past President
Executive Director Unified Sportsmen of Florida

NRA Board Election Ballot Vote
NRA 2018 Board Election Commentary by Marion Hammer

USA – -(Ammoland.com)-  Once again the NRA is being threatened by the enemy within and I’m reaching out to ask for your help. Unfortunately, NRA Board elections provide opportunities for people with interests other than those of NRA, to make moves to disrupt NRA, our mission and our cause. That is happening now.

People who are on the NRA ballot for election to the NRA Board of Directors deserve close scrutiny by NRA voting members. Being on the ballot does not automatically mean a person is qualified to serve on the Board. Most of the people on the ballot were nominated by the NRA Nominating Committee in a deliberative process designed to evaluate the motives and qualifications of the candidates.

However, some of the candidates on this year’s ballot were not nominated by the Nominating Committee, but rather they placed themselves on the ballot by collecting petition signatures. Petition signers had no way of knowing the real motives or qualifications of these petitioners.

At the bottom of this column is a list of the candidates on this year’s ballot that I believe are the best qualified people to serve on the NRA Board. Not only do I believe they are the most qualified, I believe they are the most dedicated to NRA and our cause.

The NRA Board of Directors has a specific role that is often misunderstood by people who seek positions on the Board for their own personal glorification and benefit. NRA Board members have no power. The power lies solely with the Board as a whole and only when the Board is in session. That’s why NRA’s detractors and dissidents organize in an attempt to quietly infiltrate the Board and gain a majority of the seats.

From time to time in the history of NRA, activists, critics and dissenters have sought to take control of NRA. Because I’m asking for your help, I thought you should know some of that history.

NRA Board History

1977 NRA Annual Meeting in Cincinnati
1977 NRA Annual Meeting in Cincinnati

In 1977, at the annual meeting in Cincinnati, a group of gun rights activists stopped the NRA Board from moving NRA headquarters away from Washington, DC to set up shop in Colorado Springs, Colorado. That Board’s intent was to be near the US Olympic Training Center where they could convert NRA to an organization devoted to shooting competition. The motive of the activist group in Cincinnati was to be sure that NRA remained in Washington, DC as a driving force in protecting the Second Amendment and the freedom to exercise those gun rights.

Twenty years later in 1997, during my term as NRA President, a group of dissidents and adversaries tried to take control of NRA. Their motives were not pure. They wanted control of NRA’s finances and jobs. Pretending to be strong gun rights advocates, they wanted control of NRA’s money and they wanted to install themselves as NRA’s top salaried employees.

They had worked quietly for several years to infiltrate the Board by electing their followers to the Board. They did this through the petition process for getting on the ballot. Failing to meet the qualifications and pass the scrutiny of the nomination process, they circulated petitions for signatures to get on the ballot. Nobody noticed or suspected they were planning to take over NRA.

The 1997 group of dissidents attempting to take control of NRA during my presidency were financially motivated. Their clear intent was to take control of NRA’s money and property then liquidate the portfolio to cash and make it easy to covert NRA resources to their own purposes.

The NRA Finance Committee had quietly fallen under the control of these dissidents. Against the strenuous objections of the NRA Treasurer, and without the approval of the President as required in the NRA By-Laws, the NRA Finance Committee held an unauthorized committee meeting in late 1996. At that meeting they began formulating plans to take control of NRA and to begin converting the NRA portfolio to cash. All they needed to implement their plan was control of the majority of the NRA Board.

Thinking they had majority control of the Board, their plan was to remove Wayne LaPierre from the Executive Vice President (EVP-CEO) position, remove me as President, install their own followers and take total control.

They made their move at the NRA Winter Board meeting in January, 1997. In a marathon meeting that began at 9:00am Saturday morning and did not end until 4:00am Sunday morning, we fought them off.

As president, I remained on the podium and refused to allow a recess for meals or breaks that would have allowed the dissidents to regroup. Food was brought in and we ate while we fought. For nineteen (19) straight hours Wayne and I, and a dedicated group of board members, remained in that room and battled for the heart and soul of the NRA. We won the day.

Charlton Heston, “From my cold dead hands!”
Charlton Heston, “From my cold dead hands!”

We then brought in Charlton Heston and helped elect him to the NRA Board as the 76th Director. Next we worked to elect him First Vice President to later follow me as President to be sure we could protect NRA and our standing as the nation’s foremost Second Amendment protector.

Twenty years ago, we won that battle and put down that group of malcontents. The NRA is alive and well today because we stopped dissidents who had infiltrated the Board by the petition process.

Current Day NRA Board:

Right now, a group of agitators — some of them devotees of the 1997 dissident group – have already quietly worked their way onto the NRA Board and others are now actively trying to get elected to the NRA Board.

It is time to wake up and stop it before it begins. I urge you to award your votes to the 25 most qualified people who have earned nomination by the NRA Nominating Committee and who are truly dedicated to NRA.

Although the Nominating Committee nominated more than the 25 needed this year, they did not nominate all 35 who appear on the ballot. It is important to vote for the 25 best qualified most dedicated people to serve NRA.

Below is the slate of the 25 candidates who will get my votes and whom I endorse.

I have known and worked with most of these candidates for years and I believe they all share my love of and dedication to NRA and our members.

I encourage you to join me. I encourage you to share this slate with NRA voting members and that you will give it your endorsement as well. With Bloomberg and other antigun groups targeting NRA from the outside, it is critical that we stop the enemy within. That’s why I’m asking for your help.

1. Scott L. Bach, New Jersey [endorsed by AmmoLand News]
2. William A. Bachenberg, Pennsylvania
3. Ronnie G. Barrett, Tennessee
4. Robert K. Brown, Colorado [endorsed by AmmoLand News]
5. Dean Cain, Malibu, California
6. David G. Coy, Adrian, Michigan
7. John L. Cushman, Patchogue, New York
8. Edie P. Fleeman, Durham, North Carolina
9. Joel Friedman, Henderson, Nevada
10 David A. Keene, Ft. Washington, Maryland
11. Herbert A. Lanford, Jr., Columbia, South Carolina
12. Carrie Lightfoot, Scottsdale, Arizona
13. Duane Liptak, Jr., Austin, Texas
14. Carolyn D. Meadows, Marietta, Georgia
15. Bill Miller, Beckley, West Virginia
16. Owen Buz Mills, Paulden, Arizona
17. Grover G. Norquist, Washington, D.C.
18. Robert A. Nosler, Bend, Oregon
19. Kim Rhode, Big Bear Lake, California

Marion P. Hammer
Marion P. Hammer

20. Wayne Anthony Ross, Anchorage, Alaska
21. Don Saba, Tucson, Arizona
22. William H. Satterfield, Birmingham, Alabama
23. Ronald L. Schmeits, Raton, New Mexico
24. John C. Sigler, Dover, Delaware
25. Robert J. Wos, Sarasota, Florida

Marion P. Hammer is past president of the National Rifle Association and is executive director of Unified Sportsmen of Florida.

232 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Clay Autery

I’d like someone to explain why niether I (endowment) or my wife (life) received a ballot this year.

I have called NRA Membership 6 separate times now but no one can explain and no one calls back.

Could it be that our names appeared on petitions for NON-ofgicially approved candidates?

You people are about to piss me off and make ME run for the board. I can assure you that you do NOT want me on the board if you are Hammervor the restvof the sellouts.

I will be up your 4th pointvif contact til the day I die.

Tank

NRA Patron Life member here. Hammer needs to go. Throwing bumpstocks under the bus and supporting firearm protection orders was the last straw. The NRA leadership is the problem. Talk of no compromise while they roll over the minute there’s trouble. “Stand and Fight” my ass. Sounds like they’re just fighting to preserve their bloated salaries. Oh and if you think that the 2nd Amendment and the NRA is just to protect your 5 shot bolt action and revolvers you can go ahead and get fucked. You old ass Elmer Fudds are dying off more and more every day.

Paul

Someday I hope you are blessed by having your child killed by a military grade weapon in the hands of some untrained, unchecked civilian. And you can be the proud father of another child sacrificed upon the altar of your bs 2nd Amendment. I think sacrificing your own kid is the least YOU can do to support your gun “rights.” I mean, you agree that it should not only be other people’s children that are sacrificed, right? You’re are willing to kick in the blood of your own family, right? As I gun owner, I’m so sick of the AR-15… Read more »

A gun owner too

Paul, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette. I presume you drive a car, in spite of the cat that cars kill WAY more kids than bad guys with rifles. Why do you insist that you have a right to own a vehicle that requires constant, unwavering attention and where the slightest misjudgment in speed or direction could turn it into a 2000 lb missile of death? At least gun ownership has a real purpose, self defense. Cars are just for convenience to save time walking or riding a bike. Yet you aren’t willing to give… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Paultroon, so you are the kind of person that hopes someone loses a child… for your political theory? You do know that, “It is for the children.” is a propaganda phrase made up by Goebbels, the National Socialist minister of propaganda, don’t you? There goes your credibility. I don’t know what you mean by “military grade weapons”, weapons are sold to the government by the lowest bidder. You probably did not know that either. As to my God given, Constitutionally enshrined and enumerated Civil Right to own and carry firearms that are capable of contributing to the defense of the… Read more »

A. White

I CANNOT believe this Marxist is gloating over those killed today by going threw news threads. No Paula! Someday I hope you are blessed by having your child killed by a military grade weapon in the hands of some untrained, unchecked civilian just for wishing such a thing. You haven’t considered that your children or someone else’s might be killed at the same time ‘YOU IDIOTIC IMBECILE MARXIST SH!T’. No more ‘Sheople’ breeders. Why don’t go praise the many children, babies that will be saved by the ‘FEDERAL DEFUNDING of PLANNED PARENTHOOD’ today by Pres. Trump. More ‘BABIES’ will be… Read more »

Paul

If only you deemed the protection of children outside of the womb as worthy of protection as those inside the womb. The fact that my child could be next is exactly the point. You step over the bodies of other people’s children, and declare freedom depends on the civilian possession of assault weapons. What I’m asking is…are you willing to step over the body of your own child?

lhecker51

Why is she endorsing Grover Norquist? He would sell his daughter into prostitution for the right price.

Peter Monzel

Anyone in the NRA leadership who agrees with this statement needs to go:

“The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations.”

we need people who have faith in NRA members as American citizens and are committed to protectiing the Second Amendment. We should be fighting to dismantle the NFA and ATF not collaborate with the people trying to erode and eliminate the Second Amendment.

Nick

I became a life member this week in order to help get rid of Marion Hammer.

Lew Tripp

I’ve been a life member for many years and I cannot imagine an NRA without Marion Hammer. You and your ilk will never succeed in trying to take over the NRA. Neil Knox tried it before and lost. You will too.

TrueBornSonofLiberty

Hi Lew,
I’m just curious, how do you feel about civilian ownership of modern sporting rifles (AR’s and AK’s), select fire firearms, high capacity magazines and silencers? Do you think those items are indeed covered by the Second Amendment? And finally, how much weight do you give the declarative, “shall not be infringed”? Thanks. Just trying to gauge your positions as it pertains to your full throated support of Mrs Hammer.

Dwo888

Marion Hammer is the old guard, lining their pockets, and acting like there are ‘gentleman’s rules” any more. She did a lot of good in the past, and nobody is taking that away from her but her and Wayne need to retire. Also stop holding up replica muskets and saying “From My Cold Dead Hands”, and hold an AR in one and an AK in the other and say that. Rolling over on bump stocks is crap. All the folks that thought that 1986 and 922(o) was just a strategic decision to get FOPA passed realize they sold them out… Read more »

Tim

Hammer is the enemy of the NRA. Pure scum.

Lew Tripp

Anyone should own any guns that they want. 2ND Amendment doesn’t state what kind of guns you can own. Full auto is never going to be legal and I won’t go into that. A guy said he should be able to to own and use an M1A1 tank. There are always some that carry things way to far. If they never make another bump stock or regulate them I couldn’t care less. I have known Marion Hammer for many years. Through the turbulent years of attempts at an hostile take over of NRA management. I have never met a finer… Read more »

Nick

if you think “regulating bump stocks” is just about bump stocks, you need to educate yourself. There are a lot of us who couldn’t care less about bump stocks specifically, but that’s not how these laws are being written. They talk about anything that can “increase the rate of fire” of a semi-auto firearm. They’re broad enough to effectively ban semi-auto. If that’s OK with you, then you might as well throw in with Feinstein.

Wild Bill

@Lew Tripp, Full auto is legal, and has never been illegal. In the debate surrounding the NFA, the AGUS spoke before a joint session of Congress, and informed them that Congress has no power or authority to ban any firearm, and then went on to recommend taxation to regulate fully automatic firearms.
That was prior the S. Ct.’s use of the substantive due process test to measure a statute against the U.S. Constitution. Today, the NFA remains untested and probably would not survive the substantive due process test.

Wild Bill

@AT, Tanks, artillery, warplanes are all legal, and are currently owned by lots of Americans. We have several facilities, here, that you can rent crew served weapons and full charge ammunition to train with. I am surprised that you do not know that this all exists, and is Constitutional.

Philip Gaboriault

I agree with Lew. I just became a life time member now because I believe if we hunters & sports men & women (gun owners) don’t speak out and support the NRA the liberals (socialist believers taught by our liberal colleges) will take over country as we new it before 2008.

Lew Tripp

Timmy,I’ll be in Dallas on May 3-7 at annual meetings . You are a loud mouth little twerp and if you go, I’d advise you not to cross my path there or anywhere else.

Wild Bill

@LT, I’d advise you not to misbehave while you are in Texas. Texans are not afraid to subdue and arrest tortfeasors, and petty law breakers. I am forwarding your comment to the DPD.

TrueBornSonofLiberty

You sound much too unhinged to own or carry weapons. And besides unhinged, quite foolish, too, to be making threats in such a public venue. Is Marion your “mummy”. Having teet withdrawals?

Randy Knowles

What a bunch of babbling monkeys.

Rb

So many scared people full of themselves and need for power.

June J

If not for Marion “I’m too busy to attend board meetings” Hammer’s attack on grassroots efforts I’d probably have voted for some of the NRA Nominating Committee’s recommendation. However, today I submitted by ballot with one lone vote for one of Ms. Hammer’s deplorable grassroots candidates.

David

This is fake news. Ms Hammer, YOU are the enemy within. The NRA has capitulated to gun grabbers for years, including in the current era of your position on bump stocks. It is clear that the NRA leadership is composed of good ol boys (or girls… like you) and fudds. It is time for a change in leadership. The old ways of doing things are not succeeding. It is time for the NRA to stop playing defense all day. Let’s be clear. You are talking about only a couple of people who have collected signatures. Particularly, Adam Kraut. The only… Read more »

Mike K

I have nothing against anyone that wants to ensure our gun rights and to educate people on why it is necessary and reasonable to do so. I too will be voting for Adam Kraut. It is not hard to see that he devotes a large part of his life to protecting our rights, educating about gun laws, and promoting firearms education and shooting sports.

Stephen Wire

Benefactor Life Member since 1999. Do you know what that means Lewis Tripp? I and many other here are membership. You clearly do not understand the membership as you are bashing us here. You insult the membership, you belittle the membership, you call Life Members traitors, you call us subersive and ilk. You have general disgust and hate towards the membership. The only one posting here who is trying to control things for their own personal gain is YOU!

Nottinghill

@SW: That statement was cause for another… just one finger. It deserves four however.
Lew no more psycho-delics. Sorry Psychedelics. You remind me of the fella in ‘Gator’, “he’s making me mad”. Then Burt Reynolds repeating with a laugh as only he could do.
Come on Lew… say Yelllooowwws! Just think wolverines and honey badgers. Just leave US and WE alone.
Haaa! haaa! haaa!

Nottinghill

I don’t here anyone speaking of IT. But a MARXIST TAKE OVER OF OUR NATION BEGAN JUST BEFORE THE TURN OF THE 20th CENTURY. What’s been talked about here (or much anywhere else) is not just about gun rights, IT’S ABOUT the UNITED STATES of AMERICA! Know your history and know it well! OUR NATION, OUR COUNTRY, the UNITED STATES of AMERICA IS UNDER ATTACK! REVOLUTIONS DO NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT! WE ARE IN F-A-C-T IN A MARXIST/SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST TAKEOVER OF OUR NATION! Some call it the ‘Green Agenda’, ‘Agenda 21’ or ‘GLOBALISM’! It is ALL the SAME! The TV/Radio/Cable-heads and Talking-heads… Read more »

Robert Pollard

Well said Nottinghill! This is the REAL problem. I said something similar earlier but not near as well! Even though they are uncovering treasonous acts of Obama, Hillary, Comey, Meuller, the FBI, DOJ, etc. but nothing will be done. Why? Because a majority of the people still listen to the mainstream media propaganda machine controlled by the CIA/FBI/Deep State operatives. The treachery goes much deeper than I care to spend time laying out. Just dump the media (CNN (Communist News Network), MSNBC, CBS, etc.) and hook up with Alex Jones at Infowars.com. This will really light your fire and blow… Read more »

Lew Tripp

You remind me of the fellow in “Malone” that gets taken apart on the bridge. Like him, it could be a blessing if you could not have kids.

FAREED DHANOYA

SCREW you for trying to take the BUMP stock.

Stephen Wire

Calling people who put in the hours to work a grass roots effort in order to collect enough signatures to get on the ballot only serves to show the elitist attitude of Marion Hammer and how far disconnected she is from the members. The NRA’s strength comes from the grass roots efforts of it members, the fact that we are involved and vote is what gives the NRA the power it has. Yet Marion Hammer says that grass roots effort is now the Enemy of the NRA. Marion Hammer needs to be removed from the board and as a lobbyist.… Read more »

Lewis Tripp

To work an effort to undermine and over throw the current board is what you are doing. You want the NRA changed to suit you and put in people to run the NRA for your personal gain. We have been through this before and YOU LOST. The NRA is run by dedicated, tireless supporters of the 2nd.

Utahshooter

If by “personal gain” you mean actually working to repeal unconstitutional infringements on the second amendment, then yes, that’s exactly the kind of personal gain “our ilk” is after. This “bump stocks and machine guns don’t belong in the hands of Americans” is a bunch of Elmer Fudd BS that has no place in a gun rights organization. I first joined the NRA over ten years ago and have been a life member for the last few years. In all that time i have never seen any mention of repealing the NFA, legalizing suppressors, repealing the Hughes amendment or anything… Read more »

Bob Gibson

Point of information – the Hearing Protection Act – backed by NRA – *is* a measure to de-regulate suppressors so at least part of your diatribe is baseless. I agree that NRA could and should do *more* to roll back unwarranted restrictions on RtKaBA, but give credit where credit is due or you undermine your own position.

Stephen Wire

How is an NRA member, getting other NRA voting members to sign a petition to get them on the ballot, and then being chosen in an election by ALL the NRA voting members as a board member “trying to overthrow the NRA”? Why do you hate the general NRA voting members so much? That is a very nasty and elitist comment to make, that any NRA voting member who participated in that effort to get an NRA member on the ballot is the enemy of the NRA. Lewis Tripp you do not know anything about me or what I want.… Read more »

Lewis Tripp

Grass roots efforts to over throw the current BOD and the finest people in the NRA leadership is what you are doing.You want to change the NRA to suit your subversive interests. The NRA is fine just the way it is. I have been through these efforts since 1990 and you and your ilk LOST and you will keep losing. Wayne, Chris and Ms Hammer will be here long after you traitors are gone.

Wild Bill

Hey, Trippy, It won’t be much longer as old as they are. And t he NRA better wake up. We the membership want the NRA to work for repeal of the GCA of 1968 and the NFA of 1934. No one pro-Second Amendment can be for those two clearly Unconstitutional federal statutes.

Nottinghill

@Wild Bill:
@Utahshooter:
Two Fingers of Dbl Johnnie Black to that. Here, Here!!!

Oh… gulp!

Lewis Tripp

There you go again, billy. We? The rats still in your pocket. You are truly a fool. You have no idea what the membership wants and I could care less what you think.

Wild Bill

@Trippy, There seems to be a lot of us, and the number is growing. The NRA BoD better wake up.

tc556guy

Things are not fine “the way they are”, and for you to claim that shows that you’re extremely out of touch. Endowment member here.
MH needs to go. Any organization needs periodic turn-over in leadership, and the people at the wheel of the NRA have been there for far too long and have lost touch with your average American gun owner.

Duane S White

“Unfortunately, NRA Board elections provide opportunities for people with interests other than those of NRA…” Do you refer to yourself Ms Hammer? Your interests seem to keep you from attending any board meetings. The moral thing to do would be to resign since you cannot fill your commitment to the board.

FAREED DHANOYA

WELL SAID.

Ken Johnston

As a longtime member (yeah, OK, I did drop out for awhile) but I truly feel we need some type of organized approach to maintain gun rights. I find it difficult to find unprepared info on candidates. This article states attempts are being made to infiltrate the BOD with candidates not necessarily in favor of our Second Amenment rights but when I review the bios of the 10 or so individuals not Nominated by the NRA Committee, it is difficult for me to ID the enemy. Maybe the enemy already exists within. Personally I feel an obligation to vote and… Read more »

DWC555

i don’t think the folks NOT on the recommended lists are enemies of the Second Amendment. I think they oppose the current cozy financial gain that the NRA and it’s directors and executive vice president currently have.
I know the pile of “begging” mailers I’ve gotten over the years from NRA had to cost money. Word is that people close to the insiders benefit from that or they do personally. If this is true I do NOT see denials by those involved.

Wild Bill

@OV, Good man! Lead the family. If you bought a membership for little Sammy, you’d have two votes!

Wild Bill

@OV, that is a great name! After conversing with Lewis Tripp, I could not get my ballot filled out fast enough. All the live members in my family honored my request, as well.

Lewis Tripp

I don’t suffer fools very long and this is the last.

Wild Bill

Trippy, OV and I joke back and forth. This was not meant for you. But thank God that you are going, take your bitter, mean spirited, vitriolic comments with you. We hate to see you suffer.

Nottinghill

I think Lewis ‘tripped’. Mr. Tripp might try avoiding all mirrors because you WILL most definitely see a fool… or possibly Diane Feinstein

Wild Bill

Now that I have my ballot (and other family member’s ballot) in my hands, it is time for a short discussion. Adam Kraut is the only candidate that was petitioned by the membership. Are there any “nominated by the NRA BoD” candidates that will represent the interests of the members? I presume the candidates nominated by the NRA BoD will serve the represent the interests of the NRA BoD.

Sam

Timothy Knight

Wild Bill

@Sambo, Thank you for the recommendation. I see that Timothy Knight was nominated by petition of the Membership and the NRA BoD. I presume that candidates nominated by the NRA BoD were nominated for a reason. Is Timothy Knight a rubber stamp? Has he ever opposed the NRA leadership on anything? Is he in favor of the repeal of the NFA and GCA?

Rev. Cliff

I have been following this discussion with interest. There are several things that stand out. First, many, if not MOST of the readers are probably not NRA members for exactly the reasons that are being discussed here. Second, while all freedom loving citizens owe a debt of gratitude to the NRA, there is some validity in the question, “What have you done for me lately.” I don’t think the NRA deserves loyalty based on their history but on their efforts. Having said that, since I am not a member it isn’t really my concern. What I would like for people… Read more »

DaveW

Kinda reminds me of the salaries of Union Leaders and politicians.

Still, I will continue to be a member of the NRA and others (GOA, CRPA, etc.) because I can’t do it all myself.

matt grimes

Marion Hammer – You, ole senile Wayne, and Chris cox are TRAITORS. Your actions on the recent “bump stock” fiasco prove you three are nothing more than treasonous swamp creatures that need to be purged from this organization. You three have alienated the broad base of the NRA and pissed hundreds of thousands or possibly millions of dollars in donations down your crusty wrinkled old leg. You don’t get to f@ck the NRA membership and then beg for money anymore. “Not one more inch” huh? F@ck you – not one more dime. Your leaked emails/memos and Wayne’s own words prove… Read more »

Joseph Lynch

Grover G. Norquist, Washington, D.C., Really? SMH.

Lewis Tripp

You are exactly what is going wrong in the NRA. You and your ilk will be defeated.

Joe

Hey Lewis, eat a bag of d**s.

Connecticut Yankee

Matt, I know enough about you from your local “activism” not to be surprised by your foul, vitriolic comments; they are injudicious, intemperate, mean-spirited, and unwarranted. Personal attacks like this serve no purpose other than to feed your own overblown ego, and distract from the real issues. I have been dissatisfied with the NRA many times in recent years, but have never felt the need to villify those with whom I disagree. Stick to the issues, or shame on you!!!

Wild Bill

@OV, Oh, I got that figure from Freddy, and you are correct, someone should take notice. Best regards to Sammy!

Vanns40

@Lewis Tripp: You vote as you choose but you don’t get to tell the rest of us what to do. Much as you might like it to be this is not a dictatorship where you reign supreme.

Lewis Tripp

The rest of us? You got a rat in your pocket?

Wild Bill

@Lewis Tripp, The only pugnacious rat in someone’s pocket is you. And you have demonstrated it here, in front of 30,000 daily readers, when you should have been on your best behavior.

Tx3X

not only does NRA BOD cherry pick candidates and tell members who to vote for, but the American Rifleman will not accept ads from candidate not chosen by the nominating committee

Autahgunowner

The NRA needs people who are willing to play offense and take back some of the ground gun owners have lost since 1934. Either you are for advancing gun rights, or you ARE the enemy within. The status quo doesn’t cut it anymore.

All I have seen from the likes of Marion Hammer is appeasement for the gun grabbers and an insincere defense of our second amendment rights. So what if bump stocks work like machine guns? WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE MACHINE GUNS!

Wild Bill

@Utah gun owner, I agree the status quo does not cut it anymore. I don’t mind paying the NRA upper management what they are worth, but they have presided over fifty years of more and more gun control. They should have worked to prevent the GCA of 1968 and started working on repeal in 1969. They should have worked to prevent the NFA of 1934 and started working on repeal in 1935.

RB

You don’t get to tell me who to vote for. I’ll decide on my own. Adam had my vote last year and will have it again this year because he actually stands for my 2nd amendment rights. I’ll never put another dollar into this corrupt organization unless I see sweeping changes in its leadership.

Also, nobody cares about what you did 20 years ago. #DraintheNRA

Lewis Tripp

Get the hell out of the NRA and take your dollar with you. I have been a life member for a long time and I will stick with the way things are right now. There are enough of “US” to stop you and we will.
I met Ms Hammer several times over the years and I will stand behind her 100%.

Brian Bloss

Benefactor member here, and I believe we’ve found a swamp creature. It’s time to drain the swamp in Fairfax. LaPierre, Cox, Hammer, and Tripp gotta go.

Lewis Tripp

The above mentioned are not going anywhere. You will be gone long before we will. We have been through attempts to over throw the NRA leaders. Those of you involved prior and present have lost and will continue to lose.

Joe

So Lewis, I take it that you also don’t have the best interest of the members, or for that matter the second amendment at heart. Stand behind her all you want, it just shows what a dupe you are.

Lewis Tripp

Oh,but I do have best interest of members, just not those that want to sew discord and dissent such as you. I supported the NRA fight by Wayne,Chris and Marion and of course,Charlton Heston against you then and I will now with whatever it takes.

Wild Bill

@Lewis Tripp, The problem is that “things” are not sticking with the way they are now. We are sliding into more and more gun control. The entire NRA should be working to repeal the unconstitutional NFA and GCA. The entire NRA should be working to enforce the Second Amendment. Not doing so makes the administrators at the NRA look like elitist profiteers.
And if the NRA would give me back the thousands of dollars that I have contributed over the years, I just would get the hell out. Happy now?

Lewis Tripp

Well, by now.

Wild Bill

@Lewis Tripp, “Well, by (sic)now.” how appropriate. You have made many friends here, and influence many voters. It probably is time for you to slink out before you cause a real revolt among the membership. Adam Kraut should send you a thank you card.

CJ

Sounds like NRA is cherry picking board members. NRA’s getting pretty disappointing.

goodgal

Vote for: Adam Kraut

Brian Bloss

Yes, and Timothy Knight.

Edistofisher

Benefactor life member since 1968. NRA has gone way of DC politicians, BOD filling their pockets and scamming membership. Examples Friends of NRA and the insurance training scam. Allowing outside insurance, travel, and others to use there name to solicit. How much kick back went into BOD pockets?

Sam Anderson

Why in the world did Marion Hammer get paid $256K last year when she can’t be bothered to show up to Board meetings for the last three years? What other responsibilities does she execute to earn that kind of money? I honestly am asking because I don’t know. That said, her attitude about who should be on the NRA board is extremely disappointing, apparently the NRA establishment is the only ones qualified to nominate candidates. Following her logic, only establishment politicians should be allowed to nominate candidates for Congress or the Presidency. That is not how democracy works, that’s more… Read more »

robert

Please take the time to vote for Adam Kraut. He actually cares about gun ownership and isn’t a self-serving board member like Marion Hammer, the author of this article. Adam puts out a lot of educational gun videos on youtube and Marion doesn’t even go to board meetings. See more about Adam at:
https://youtu.be/w1ol4kL9-gM or adamkraut.com

Slavko Miladinovic

Marion Hammer behaves like a fascist; you must be approved by the ruling government to have the Bill of Rights applied to you, which would make her a copy of a slave master’s mentality and beliefs. Her intended three part NRA rant against Floridians that want laws applied to all people equally was stopped after her second anti-egalitarian Floridian rant published by the NRA, which just so happens to be the time when I researched the Floridian folks she was ranting about and discovered that they are a righteous special interest group that I immediately joined online at https://Floridacarry.org It… Read more »

James Branch

And this is why I left the NRA. People who actually care about our rights, like Adam, are beating down. The NRA cares nothing about our rights, but more about the money they receive. Hopefully Adam wins the board and we can start making some changes to the NRA. Until the NRA figures out they are the enemy within, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED means nothing to you when your ok with a little bit of infringement. We do want machine guns back, not bump stocks. If the NRA doesn’t change its tune and soon, it’s time for them to leave.

David

That is exactly why you shouldn’t leave the NRA. When the bump stock statement came out, lots of people were renouncing their memberships and going to GOA. I don’t blame them for being frustrated but the only way the NRA will change is if we put people like Adam on the board and vote out the fudds like Marion. When others were tearing up their membership cards, I kept mine knowing that I can vote for people like Adam. I am a Benefactor Life Member. The NRA already has my money so I might as well work within the system… Read more »

Gareth Trent

Do you expect board members to actually show up for meetings? Because you don’t. Why is that? And if your salary is really $300,000 what are your duties to earn that?

David M. Gross

With all the legitimate criticism of Marion’s ideas and approach, here, let’s also not forget to give the Devil her legitimate due. Nobody is all bad about everything. Marion Hammer more or less single-handedly began the sweeping “Shall Issue Carry” movement in Florida back in 1987(?), after a hard-fought 7-year struggle, through her United Sportsmen of Florida (USF) organization. Just saying . . .. If you have a permit to carry in a “Shall Issue” state which became so since 1987, you probably owe Marion Hammer and NRA a debt of gratitude for her excellent work. NRA ILA began thing… Read more »

Robert Pollard

So, what happened. Money?

I’m not sure she’s corrupt but what I’m hearing here sure sounds like she turned at one point.

Also, it’s SOP for infiltration tactics to include looking friendly at first. Case in point, the Muslims. It’s in their belief system to make new “friends” but in the end turn on them.

If she’s making six figure income and not showing up to meetings. There’s a problem!!!

Bob Gibson

Hello, David. Sorry that you and Joe are no longer on the NRA BoD. Can I write you guys in?

Nottinghill

Marxists and their sneaky subversion techniques… round them up and out!

Robert Pollard

Nail on the head. You guys are going to have to get past this “voting solves everything” mentality as the Establishment Marxists don’t care about votes. These Marxists like Marion are in control of counting the votes. Voting is ia diversion tactic. Time for the voting members to clean it all up starting at the top.
“Those who cast votes decide nothing. Those who count votes decide everything. “
— Joseph Stalin

Wild Bill

@Robert Pollard, What do you suggest besides voting? We are only talking about the NRA, not government elections, right?

Robert Pollard

I found it… Anyway, I responded to one of your comments to @TennX as I couldn’t find this response. To answer your question, it appears that voting has brought the NRA to the mess it’s in currently. What’s the definition of insanity. The Democrats have brought their style of “government elections” to the NRA. That’s why voting is less effective these days. As the Democrats have found a way to get around that pesky voting process. For example, here in Alabama, when Roy Moore started getting accusations from the MSM about abuse of women and whatever else they could conjure… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Robert Pollard, No, I don’t have any.

Lewis Tripp

As I said,billy

Matt

I may actually join the NRA just to vote for Adam.

Jeffrey Dege

You need to be a member for five consecutive years, before you are allowed to vote.

David

Become a life member and then you can vote right away (I think it is too late for this election).

OkiePapist

I wonder when Hammer will actually show up to Board meetings? #NotIn2Years

Joe

Showing up for meetings is for suckers! Besides, that would cut into her crazy cat lady time.

OkiePapist

NRA supports more restrictions on guns. I’m sure they will beg for money after this. As an NRA member, I will NOT vote for those supported by Marion Hammer.

https://home.nra.org/joint-statement/

moe mensale

Hey Marion,
Why can’t we post comments on this propaganda piece about you?

https://www.ammoland.com/2018/01/do-you-know-who-the-nras-marion-hammer-really-is/
“Do You Know Who the NRA’s Marion Hammer Really Is?”

Who’s Glen Rubin? How much did you pay him to write this puff piece? Why did he write it in the first place? Did your “Enemy Within” article not go the way you expected it to? Was the heat too much for you to take?

And once more – why can’t we post comments at that article?

Ronald Thomas

I joined the NRA so I could sign the petition nominating Richard Riley for election to the BOD. Dick was one of those who fought for the Cincinnati reforms. He was later elected as NRA President. Mrs. Hammer, I remember Dick proudly introducing you to the members of GO-NH as the person who would be the first woman to become President of the NRA. What happened to you? Shortly after that Dick was not renominated for election to the BOD and the other two BoD members from New Hampshire also left. When I asked one of them for an explanation… Read more »

cathammer

You’ve convinced me, Marion…I’m voting for Adam (whose forum I attended at the Atlanta convention), and none of your candidates.

TennX

David Gross: I’m going to add a little more to the discovery process and shedding light. In 1980, when NRA was still at 1600 Rhode Island Ave., NW, in DC, Wayne was head of ILA and NRA had its own Public Affairs division headed up by John Aquilino. A report was done comparing the cost differential between having NRA keep the publishing part in-house and contracting it out. The conclusion was that, at that time, tens of thousands of dollars would be saved each year if it was kept in-house (translated to millions today). The report was unwittingly given to… Read more »

Moe Mensale

Marion Hammer,
You’re still as deplorable and disgusting a human being today as you were in 2011 when you and I had it out over your sellout of open carry for Florida gun owners.
In case you forgot:
https://www.ammoland.com/2011/05/response-to-rude-open-carry-blogger/#axzz4mXFBqtuJ
And here you are publicly lying about it for posterity:

None of your choices will see my vote.

Robert Pollard

I noticed the cities/states of her recommendations and most come from liberal country.
The only way the liberals can stop the NRA is infiltrate. It’s way too powerful to fight head on.
Marion and her communist friends need to be cleaned out. Like any true Democrat/Communist/Progressive or whatever they call themselves now days, they talk a good talk but they are wolves in sheeps clothing.

TennX

David Gross: You were pretty doggone close except the magazines are not owned or run by NRA or employees. They are wholly owned and run, content and all, by Ackerman-McQween and they reap the financial benefits – – all of them.

David M. Gross

Thank you. THAT was my point, actually. Tony Makris also “managed” Charlton Heston, which was a convenient two-fer for him and for Ackerman-McQueen. We never could actually document the kick-backs, patronage deals, nepotism, and such which simply HAD to be there for things to be directed as they were and to run so smoothly. We got close, but the stonewalls went up, using NRA resources to block volunteer, individual efforts. Power uses its power to keep it. Never strike the King lest you not slay him. Nobody ever said that these people were stupid or not skillful. NRA was being… Read more »

Wild Bill

@David M Gross, Ammoland boasts more than thirty thousand readers per day. You will never have a better forum to name names, and expose Wayne, Ackerman-McQueen and the rest. I am in the edge of my chair.

Henry

If you want to hear about what really happened, gunriter Dean Speir penned an article about all the illegalities and bylaws violations that Hammer and her coterie committed, including utter violation of a court order from Fitzgerald v. NRA (1974) by publishing a shameful, soviet-style “do not vote for” list in the membership publications. And it does name a fair number of names. The article is online at https://user.xmission.com/pub/lists/roc/archive/roc.199903 Unfortunately, the page is a collection of a number of independent posts from a given time period and Dean’s article is not the first one — to find it, search for… Read more »

Heath Moore

I’m a Lifer and I vote. Insulting Adam’s petitioners is proof positive it’s time for a regime change. Ma’am, you are an embarrassment and I don’t care to be embarrassed…. Your comments are sure to garner much support, against you.

NSSpika

I ran for the NRA Board of Directors – via petition – for two years in a row. I was attacked and harassed by current board members because I was an “outsider”, even though I worked for the organization and served as it’s spokesman. Odd, right? It’s because of current board members like Hammer who are unwilling to change and make progress for the organization that the NRA is stuck in a rut. Being rich and famous are the top qualities that the Nominating Committee looks for when selecting their chosen candidates. Those of us who bring a fresh perspective… Read more »

R. A.

Good morning, all.

The way NRA ballot voting works, the fewer names you mark on the ballot, the more your votes are worth (mathematically). There’s a reason it’s not advertised. 😉

Vote Kraut & Knight and that’s all. We need warriors, not celebrities and swamp creatures.

-R.A., NRA Life Member

Mark

I have been a Life member for 32 years, once had trust in the NRA ideal and leadership. I have seen my rights gradually taken away with limited gain in those years either Legislatively or in the courts. Blowhard members of the board like Tom King from NY are part of the problem, time for some changes. I will review my choices carefully and vote for the board that will best serve an aggressive defense of gun owner’s rights, not just lip service anymore.

Robert Pollard

So, this proves my point about infiltration. How the crap did he get in in the first place? How many more anti-gun morons have infiltrated the NRA. What the crap is anyone from NY doing in any position of power in the NRA??? I’d venture to say that anyone from NY with any kind of power/influence/money will be anti-gun. There you have it! For the record, I was seriously thinking of paying for the life membership. But, not until every single person in power at the NRA is vetted and the whole thing cleaned will I put in the money.… Read more »

clark e myers

I was there for Cincinnati. In a private conversation Max Rich assured me the fight was about money. He was wrong. The fight was about member control. I was there for Seattle. The fight was about member control or insider control. At Seattle the insiders made sure a Cincinnati style member’s revolt at the annual meeting could never happen again. No matter who says it the fight wasn’t about money. I do not say that Neal Knox had all the right answers. He didn’t.. I do say Neal Knox had all the right questions. The insiders wanted insider control for… Read more »

TennX

Clark E Myers: If you’ve been there that long then you are well aware of the incredible power that Ackerman-McQueen has acquired since, about, 1981. They virtually control every word that is written or spoken from within or without NRA. They made Wayne what he is today, from a lowly Hill person who worked for Democratic Legislators and remolded him into a figurehead and someone who is known within the walls of NRA as the “Ghost” because he’s so seldom seen. Ackerman-McQween is the monolith that needs to be thrown out of NRA along with Wayne, Chris, Josh and all… Read more »

Jeff Knox

Short list OV: Adam Kraut.
https://www.ammoland.com/2017/12/fixing-nra
Thanks for asking.

Rob Pincus

Bonus: The author of this fantasy propaganda piece is a board member and a “consultant” to the NRA making a substantial amount of money from the current regime hasn’t even attended an NRA Board Meeting in the past 3 years… *rolleyes*.

TennX

By substantial you mean $130,000 per year, right? And that’s for doing almost nothing. Just to set the record completely straight Rob, you used to be very much against open carry. That doesn’t earn you very many credits in my book, in fact it gets you zero. Now’s the chance, do you still feel that way?

Robert

Not sure if what you say is true but infiltration into organizations by the globalist elite (Dems and Reps) is happening in politics and organizations.
All I know is, I’m done with the NRA. I’ve seen too many instances lately of them slowly leaning left and it’s very subtle but not hard to see.
I’m not putting any more money into them. I’ll find an organization like GOA, etc. that fights legislation that matters and keeps the members informed 100% as to some of the sneaky things the Dems have been trying to pull lately.
Goodbye NRA…

TennX

Robert: That’s the wrong tactic. If you walk away you can’t vote. If you’re a Life Member OR have been a continuous Member for at least five years you can vote and you CAN change things. I’m telling you that changes are in the works. There are a few of us that have figured out how to do it but we need voting members exactly like you in order to accomplish it. It’s going to be a step by step process and it won’t be overnight but we’re dedicated to change. My recommendation to all: keep your membership in good… Read more »

Colonel Kurtz

Pincus admits he doesn’t even carry, so I am surpised he cares.

J. E. Olson

Marion hates me. I was on the NRA Board for 9 years (1991-2000).

After a 1 vote victory in Seattle, the Old Guard proceeded to purge every person who wanted the NRA to push a STRONGER approach to defending your and my rights. Wayne wants, and gets, 76 “yes” men who have raised his pay to $4,000,000 per year in 2016.

The Board at 76 members, many celebrities who seldom attend, is too big to effectively govern. Continuing to elect “agitators” is essential to keeping it honestly pro-RKBA. The NRA is not the National Republican Auxiliary.

Wild Bill

@J. E. Olson, Are you Joe Olson from St. Paul that did all that historical research for the Heller case?

David M. Gross

Bill, Joe Olson is the guy who established Academics For The Second Amendment (A2A) in 1991 which organized and coordinated the historical research and intellectual basis for Scalia’s brilliant opinion in Heller v. Washington, D.C.. Now, to be fair to NRA, A2A was supported by NRA, back then, because people like Neal Knox and Tanya Metaksa saw the benefit to the movement of solid, honest academic/intellectual/historical support, as opposed to back room, expedient, evanescent political deals without uniform guiding constitutional principle. What really happened in the mid-90s was the abdication of the direction of NRA by the volunteer, part-time Board… Read more »

Wild Bill

@David M. Gross, I only asked because by happy circumstance I know Prof. Joe Olson (although I am not sure that he would admit to having friends in low places), and I was going to say hello.