NRA: Meet The New Cover, Up Same As The Old Cover Up

Opinion

NRA Board of Directors
National Rifle Association

Tombstone, Arizona – -(Ammoland.com)- A new move is afoot in the ongoing soap opera that is today’s National Rifle Association.

A motion has been put forward to amend the Bylaws to allow NRA President Charles Cotton to serve an additional 1-year term in office. Under the Association’s Bylaws, the President is allowed to succeed himself only once, meaning that he can serve only two 1-year terms. This is a fairly standard practice in nonprofit organizations to prevent one person from accruing too much power—the same reason US Presidents are limited to two terms.

In the early 2000s, the Board passed a Bylaw amendment to make an exception to the rule and allow Charlton Heston to retain the office for a total of 5 years. That is the only exception to the two-terms rule since it was adopted decades ago. The excuses being offered for allowing Cotton, whose second term ends this April, to serve another term are similar to those offered in Franklin Roosevelt’s unprecedented extra terms as President of the United States:

Don’t change horses in the middle of a race,” the need for a “steady, experienced hand on the wheel in troubled times,” that there’s no one else prepared to take the helm, etc. But the unspoken reason for maintaining the status quo might be the most important: Culpability.

The primary system of checks and balances within the NRA revolves around the Board’s Audit Committee. The NRA Board of Directors has, in accordance with New York law, adopted a number of policies and procedures to make sure that everything is done on the up-and-up, with no self-dealing, nepotism, conflicts of interest, or sweetheart deals to rob the Association’s coffers or bring shame or embarrassment to the organization. The people tasked with investigating and enforcing these policies are the members of the Audit Committee. As the Board’s official watchdogs, it’s the Audit Committee’s responsibility to ensure that all Board and statutory policies are adhered to by NRA staff and management. The Audit Committee is supposed to review all contracts, investigate conflicts of interest, hear and act upon all “whistleblower” complaints, hire and oversee outside auditors, and generally make sure that the Association is scandal-free and clean as a whistle.

As everyone should well know by now, the NRA is embroiled in a number of scandals and lawsuits.

The crux of the current mess is that, along with wasting millions of dollars on frivolities and status symbols, Wayne LaPierre and other top executives allegedly took advantage of their positions to enrich themselves and some of their close friends. Accusations include tens of millions being spent on “Fundraising Consultants” who were not tracked for performance and millions more going toward no-bid, sweetheart deals for friends and family members, not to mention private jets and escalating executive compensation. In the time between 1997 and 2018, LaPierre’s personal compensation package rose from around $200K to over $2.2 million, with a clause that stipulated that he would continue to be paid his full salary in perpetuity after leaving the Association.

(LaPierre has incredulously claimed that he was unaware of the diamond-studded severance clause in his contract, even though he billed the NRA for the personal lawyer he hired to negotiate that contract.)

There is no question that there have been numerous serious breaches of NRA financial policies over the years, getting worse and worse as time went by. So, you may ask, where was the Audit Committee? Why didn’t they see these problems and force their correction?

It is all too apparent that, instead of diligently looking after the interests of the NRA and its members, the Audit Committee has, for at least the past 20+ years, served as a rubber stamp and smoke screen to Wayne LaPierre’s personal whims. The committee has repeatedly ignored red flags, severe conflicts of interest, nepotism, excessive payments, cavalier accounting practices, and blatant violations of Board policy, New York State law, and the Association’s Bylaws.

NRA Officers at the 2023 Great American Outdoor Show (left to right): Second Vice President David Coy, Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre, President Charles L. Cotton and First Vice President Willes K. Lee.
NRA Officers at the 2023 Great American Outdoor Show (left to right): Second Vice President David Coy, Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre, President Charles L. Cotton, and First Vice President Willes K. Lee.

This brings us right back to NRA President Charles Cotton and Second Vice President David Coy.

Cotton and Coy have been among Wayne LaPierre’s staunchest defenders during the current troubles. Coincidentally, both Cotton and Coy have been Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee for the past 20+ years. When it comes to culpability for the current mess within the NRA, no NRA Directors bear more responsibility for the failures of the Board to detect and correct the glaring problems than do President Cotton and Second Vice President Coy.

Both have admitted in sworn testimony that as Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee, they instructed outside auditors not to explore the books of the Executive Vice President’s office. Both have admitted that they were unaware of blatant conflicts of interest, such as LaPierre accepting the gift of the use of a luxury yacht (with full crew and chef) in the Bahamas from one of NRA’s major vendors, who was awarded multiple no-bid, multi-million-dollar contracts.

The NRA has been in a steep decline for the past four years, losing at least one-third of its Annual Members (the people who pay the day-to-day bills) and over half of its total revenue. These losses are directly attributable to the perceived corruption at the top of the Association and the utter failure of the Board of Directors to take any significant corrective action. It is now apparent that both the exposed corruption and the Board’s failure to act on that corruption were, in my opinion, due in large part to the actions and inaction of two key players on the Board: Charles Cotton and David Coy.

Just as Wayne LaPierre, at 73 years old, could not risk retiring and allowing anyone else to have full access to the Association’s books and records, Charles Cotton can’t risk leaving the damage control and cover-up of the failures of the Audit Committee to anyone else either. Even though Cotton has been President for the past two years, he has retained his seat as Chairman of the Audit Committee. He’s joined on that all-important committee by Vice Chair David Coy, former President Carolyn Meadows, and long-time Board members Curtis Jenkins and Herb Lanford.

Expect Cotton, Coy, and LaPierre to tell NRA members at the Members’ Meeting in Indianapolis on April 15 that everything is going great, that “your NRA” is strong and effective, and that they expect to hand NY AG Letitia James a resounding defeat in court soon. Then expect the Board, on the following Monday, to approve the bylaw amendment allowing Cotton to serve another term as President, followed closely by his “unanimous” reelection to that office.

After all of the dust and excitement of the Annual Meeting has settled, expect the NRA to file for bankruptcy and use that to try and avoid going to court in the NY suit.

By the way, a leaked email shows Wayne LaPierre notifying the remaining staff that they are exploring the sale of the Headquarters building in Fairfax, Virginia, with an eye toward moving the operation to some other state. All is well—nothing to see here. Ignore the man behind the curtain. Move along now…

Wayne LaPierre announced NRA is exploring the sale of the Headquarters building in Fairfax, Virginia
Leaked Email: Wayne LaPierre announced NRA is exploring the sale of the Headquarters building in Fairfax, Virginia. That is one way to avoid fixing the roof….

See you in Indianapolis on April 15th, 2023.


About Jeff Knox:

Jeff Knox is a second-generation political activist and director of The Firearms Coalition. His father Neal Knox led many of the early gun rights battles for your right to keep and bear arms. Read Neal Knox – The Gun Rights War.

The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition has offices in Buckeye, Arizona, and Manassas, VA. Visit: www.FirearmsCoalition.org.

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JH

Until Wayne and his cronies are gone I won’t give them one cent.

Darkman

As a Life member, I stopped supporting N egotiate R ights A way over 10 years ago. When it became obvious that the rank and file members were nothing more than a $$$ source for WLP and his cronies and OUR Rights were nothing more than the bait on the hook they used to filch it.

Boz

BlNG0!

Bubba

Don’t be surprised if he’s on the list to be held accountable by a tribunal someday soon. With all the rest of the Rinos and Libtards.

Flyboyron

I’m not going to hold my breath for that.

BTW, there’s no provision for civilian “tribunals” in our law…

Link

You, me and everyone else.

BadBilly21

The NRA is its own worst enemy while Wayne & the boys continue to commit crimes AND cover them up with donor money. Plus, during one of the most aggressively litigious periods in 2A history, they are nowhere to be found.

Henry Bowman

Not true; the NRA was hard at work betraying gun owners by paying tens of millions of dollars to the 15 Senate GOP RINOs who voted to put the ‘Bipartisan Safer Communities Act’ over the finish line last year.

Wass

If it’s indeed true that the NRA is contemplating sale of its headquarters in Fairfax, Va, then it’s the beginning of the end. Fortunately, there are other orgs in the gun rights movement. One of our chief concerns, how do you replace an image in the minds of the public as large and iconic as the NRA? SAF, GOA and others (state orgs, for example) have more than carried a lot of weight, but, so far, are largely unknown to the larger public.

Steve

Excellent Wass….and, when you look throughout the USA, every state, and literally thousands of organizations – from Police to Military and Private entities – they all use the “NRA Standards” to certify shooting qualifications, instructor standards, range standards, and on and on and on..Me thinks a wholesale house cleaning is what is needed. Whether that happens or not is to be seen. Once the NRA is gone – who has the political and financial muscle to successfully lobby Congress? Not SAF, Not GOA or the NSSF (Good Buddies with ATF) – Sell that Castle in Fairfax, get the hell away… Read more »

Toxic Deplorable Racist SAH

Once the NRA is gone – who has the political and financial muscle to successfully lobby Congress?”

So what about the political & financial muscle?
If it’s not used to the benefit of We, The People, it’s worthless.
The NRA might as well be the DildoCrats or RepugniTards.
They, too, have political & financial muscle, but it’s not used in the service of ensuring and securing our Constitutional freedoms.

Chuck

I’m more concerned and angry over the loss of the many fine programs the NRA created, ran and set the standard for, than anything else. We can hope another Group picks up the slack, but the reality is that it took years to set a lot of those programs up and get them to the standards that they are. Starting from scratch will be a major undertaking. The 2nd is facing an unprecedented attack from Democrats and the Amti-Gun Zealots, and Blue States are passing Unconstitutional legislation to deliberately provoke SCOTUS. Meanwhile WLP and crew just continue their criminal creative… Read more »

Tom Claycomb

Morning Jeff,

If all you say here is true, it is worrisome to say the least. So what do you think is the answer/solution? I’ve worked for numerous corporations. When something is rotten you can’t just get rid or 1-2 of the top dogs. The corporation is normally rotten to the core and you have to replace the whole top tier (And usually below because they’ve promoted management of the same ilk).

RetUSAF

I’m a Benefactor Life member and have been a member since 1985. I have given them a lot of my money over those year, but about the last five years I haven’t given them a dime. The NRA needs a complete overhaul from top to bottom and Wayne need to be sent packing with no compensation.

Stuntman Jeff

Wayne needs to be sent packing to the crowbar hotel!

Zhukov

Makes me wish I could get my life membership returned.

Cuda70

As long as there are enough fools to keep La Pew in office, I don’t care what they do. BUT they are NOT getting any more of my money until there is a complete Regime change.

Henry Bowman

There SHOULD have been term limits on all positions in the NRA hierarchy, ESPECIALLY THE EVP!!

The NRA is a zombie; it’s dead but doesn’t realize it yet.

Austin

The reason I never became a Life Member has come to pass.

hoss

The NRA Board of Directors has, in accordance with New York law, adopted a number of policies and procedures to make sure that everything is done on the up-and-up, with no self-dealing, nepotism, conflicts of interest, or sweetheart deals to rob the Association’s coffers or bring shame or embarrassment to the organization. And yet WLP is still there. These people are like politicians, they are all Liars, Thieves, and Hypocrites!

StLPro2A

NRA Convention with Annual Members meeting is on the near horizon…April 14-16 in Indianapolis. Member Meeting is on Saturday 4/15, 10:00AM. Let’s all attend, shout LePewPew and Board out of the building. The Second Amendment is BIG BUSINESS for both sides, as proven by LePewPew et el. Surprised NRA has only lost 1/3 membership and 50% revenue. Need to starve the giant to death financially. Let LePewPew suck wind for his retirement. Wayno to get his $2.2MM compensation package in retirement. until death do they part. What does a hit man cost….$10-20K…maybe, $30K tops for a foolproof accident??? Helluva ROI.… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by StLPro2A
bondmen

What is it about entrenched bureaucrats in large organizations who feather their own nests and continually make erroneous, hurtful decisions that undermines and eventually destroys the host they feed upon. History sure repeats itself, new players and the same old parts to play.

KenW

And to think that I accused NAGR of being nothing but a slush fund for Dudley Brown.

DIYinSTL

Jeff, can you give us an article on who will be running for the at-large director seat to be elected at NRAAM and whom amongst them is the lesser evil?

warfinge

*sigh* So long as most members are not aware and rubberstamp donations without knowing the NRA has evolved into what it is, this group running the NRA are going to continue robbing it’s members with little effort toward protecting the 2A. Many of us have bailed but it obviously hasn’t hurt them enough to listen. I hope they pull out of this nose dive soon.

Pa John

Some of us are old enough to remember when the CIA and other secretive agencies had to travel overseas to infiltrate various organizations and disfavored governments and so forth, in order to sow chaos and discord and destroy them from within. Basically covertly do whatever it took to change the course of other nations and groups in ways that better suited our own supposed national interests, or simply cause them to self-destruct from within while leaving no clue we were ever there. I suppose no longer having to send spies and infiltrators so far from home in order to effect… Read more »

JIAZ

The credibility of NRA leadership is damaged beyond repair. Their actions have earned the organization what it deserves, dissolution.

Truth is we don’t need Wayne’s World. We never have. We’ve just been subjected to decades of clever marketing and goebbels-esque propaganda.

Join & Support your individual State’s most pro 2A organization. Contact your State Legislators in a professional, respectful manner to state your opinion on any firearms related legislation.

Don’t depend on any national organization to come to the rescue. First and foremost, defend your home turf.

Orion

no state based organization has the muscle to go head to head with anti- 2A politicians in DC. NONE.
if you live in hostile state and keep electing socialist democrats to Congress, that’s on YOU.

Flyboyron

Not everyone in the “hostile states” votes for these morons. Don’t blame those of us who are hijacked by the big blue cities.

Chuck

Rural and Small Town Coloradoans have no voice or say in the Legislature. The I-25 Corrider Cities have the rest of us by the balls.

Hatman1793

A salary of U$200K in the 1990’s is a pretty damn good salary, but using members dues for a yearly U$2 million payday is outrageous. And wrong. The prime officials should earn a Congressman’s salary.
If these persons are as Jeff Knox described they should be purged when the bankruptcy starts.

bruce

Anyone remember Jimmie Hoffa ? Solved a problem !!

Chuck

Ongtime Patron Life Member, I stopped buying up in membership 6 or 7 years back, about the same time I stopped sending a yearly donation.
It remains to be seen if there will be anything left of the Association, even if we manage to end the Rot at the Top.

The future of the NRA looks pretty grim.

Country Boy

….and that’s why Wayne and all the other guys in that photo are grinnin’ like possums…..

Ray

I have recently dropped out of my Rifle & Pistol Club for the same thing, I believe they are screwing the members. I am a Life Member of the NRA, and don’t send them any donations, because they have capitulated to the anti-gun crowd to many times, instead of fighting like the National Organization for Gun Rights.

Orion

now there’s the jeff knox i know! sorry, boyee…. your FC will never instill the fear or gain the respect from liberal anti- gunners in Congress.