As dedicated NRA supporters, we know it’s maddening to witness the betrayal from within our own ranks. The latest news reveals the agreed-upon settlement that Wilson “Woody” Phillips, the former CFO of the NRA, confessed to unethical conduct, further deepening the trust issues we’ve had with the organization’s leadership.
Phillips’ Deceitful Contract
Without disclosing their relationship, Phillips admitted to awarding a $1.36 million contract to HomeTelos, a tech company run by his then-girlfriend Nancy Richards. This was a blatant violation of NRA policies designed to prevent conflicts of interest. It took whistleblowers raising the alarm for Phillips to finally come clean about his actions long after the contract had ended.
Shielding LaPierre’s Extravagance
Phillips didn’t just stop at self-serving contracts. Among other things, Phillips was accused of approving invoices for LaPierre’s private jet flights to the Bahamas; facilitating payments to contractors owned by LaPierre’s friends; and allowing an arrangement through which the NRA paid back its longtime advertising agency, Ackerman McQueen, for travel, makeup and other expenses it covered for LaPierre and his wife. He was a key player in hiding Wayne LaPierre’s outrageous spending from the NRA’s internal controls. LaPierre, with Phillips’ assistance, misused millions of dollars on luxury travel, and even yacht trips. This was money meant to protect our Second Amendment rights, not fund their extravagant lifestyles.
$2 Million In Damages To The NRA
Now, Phillips is facing the consequences. He’s been banned from managing any not-for-profit’s finances in New York for the next ten years and owes $2 million in damages to the NRA. This settlement spares him from participating in the trial’s second phase but does little to restore our trust.
The Bigger Picture
This scandal is just the latest in a series of revelations about mismanagement at the NRA. We’ve seen how LaPierre, Phillips, and other top executives have abused their positions and our donations. The jury recently found LaPierre guilty of spending millions in NRA funds on personal luxuries and ordered him to repay almost $4.4 million. This betrayal cuts deep, especially for those of us who have invested our time, money, and trust in the NRA’s mission.
Taking Back Our Organization
As the trial continues, Attorney General Letitia James is pushing for measures to ensure this kind of corruption doesn’t happen again. She’s seeking an independent monitor for the NRA’s finances and wants to ban LaPierre from any leadership roles in New York charities. Manhattan Judge Joel Cohen will decide the remaining issues in the case beginning July 15th, 2024, including whether former LaPierre and ex-general counsel John Frazer should be barred from charitable organizations in the state.
For us, the rank-and-file members. We need to reclaim our organization from these corrupt individuals and ensure our contributions are used to fight for our rights, not to bankroll the lavish lifestyles of a few dishonest leaders. It’s time for a thorough cleanup and a return to the principles that made the NRA a powerful defender of the Second Amendment. Let’s demand accountability and integrity from those who represent us.
I fully expect more graft and corruption will be uncovered in the next days, weeks, and months. The total extent may never truly come to light. WLP and most of the “old” leadership of the NRA should grow old in the Graybar Hotel. But, I don’t think we’ll ever see that. Meantime, stick with SAF, CCRKBA, GOA and your local orgs like GRNC.
Oliver North said that when he confronted King LaPierre about the $24 million dollar attorney bill for 13 months.. he said LaPierre said “Stay in your lane, stop doing this, stop asking questions, Brewer (NRA attorney) is the reason why I am not going to spend the rest of my life in an orange jumpsuit,” And the NRA board along with LaPierre forced Oliver North out because they felt he was trying to engineer a coup d’état. North thought it was corruption. I just wonder who was putting what in the NRA boards kool-aid. Imagine you gave your hard earned… Read more »
So, why can’t the NRA sue the individuals who stole and misdirected NRA assets for their personal gain? Seems like a good investment in attorneys to pick up were the NY AG leaves off. It isn’t necessary to achieve “beyond a reasonable doubt”, just “the preponderance of the evidence” to attach their assets.
Not sure who the author was addressing in the opening sentence, but I haven’t supported the NRA in years because of this stuff, and neither has anyone else who pays attention.
I quit ‘trusting’ LaPierre when he let slip that ‘he wasn’t a gun-owner’.
Exactly why I am no longer an NRA member. Too much corruption, it’s everywhere.