Ms. James’s lawsuit is the culmination of an inquiry that began in February 2019 and played out amid revelations in the news media regarding the organization’s spending and governance practices.
The lawsuit alleges Mr. LaPierre spent hundreds of thousands of the organization’s dollars on private plane trips, visiting the Bahamas “by private air charter at least eight times” in three years, according to a summary of the suit. He and his family were often allegedly “gifted the use of a 107-foot yacht” by an N.R.A. vendor and he spent more than $3.6 million on travel consultants, including luxury black cars, over two years. He also is said to have secured a post-employment contract without board approval worth more than $17 million.
Among the numerous alleged violations laid out by Ms. James’s office, some related to false reporting of annual filings both to the state and the I.R.S. Her office also cited “improper expense documentation, improper wage reporting, improper income tax withholding” and failing to make required excise tax reporting and payment, among other issues.
The lawsuit also claims that testimony by the chairman of the N.R.A.’s audit committee indicated that he had little awareness of its governance role, no knowledge of state law concerned such committees and was unfamiliar with the committee’s own charter, which states that it oversees the organization’s financial integrity.
N.R.A. officials have conducted their own internal audit and defended many of their practices, though several top officials have been forced out amid an internal dispute over how it is run, including Oliver North, its former president, and Christopher Cox, the former top lobbyist.
The organization’s leadership believes Ms. James is part of a politically motived effort by New York officials to destroy the organization.
“Everybody knows we were singled out,” Mr. LaPierre said in an interview last year. “Everybody knows that it’s politics. Everybody knows why it’s really happening. And it’s wrong.”
Criminals are generally "singled out" at their criminal trial. I have no sympathy for scumbag liars and charlatans. If the NRA had ONCE fought any of the federal gun laws it supported (all of them now on the books) I might feel different.
LaPierre's greed has placed the NRA in jeopardy.
Watch4bear will be along in a minute to tell us all how we're all to blame for not supporting Wayne's NRA.
It might be the Dem's going after them, but Wayne's giving them the gasonline and matches they'll use to burn it down.
I still don’t care, I’ve moved on.
I hope a Wayne winds up in prison for the damage he has done.
Donate to the GOA, SAF, and your local pro gun organizations.
WLP's chickens coming home to roost....
Unfortunate for the historic NRA...
Libs attacking, but buzzards only eat dead stuff, don't generally kill anything.
So, maybe them picking the bones isn't all negative. Maggots have actually been used in wound debridement, can be very effective, eating only dead tissue, preserving live tissue...
Other organizations will have to pick up the slack, unless the NRA can be reconstituted under different governance. Not sure that's gonna happen.
DF
LaPierre's greed has placed the NRA in jeopardy.
Exactly right, I'd like to kick the mans teeth in for what he's done to the NRA.
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
You assume that they weren't involved. I don't think that's possible, given that fact that utter idiots don't' end up on Boards of Directors.
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
You assume that they weren't involved. I don't think that's possible, given that fact that utter idiots don't' end up on Boards of Directors.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Board doesn't govern, the bureaucracy (WLP) does. The Board, it seems to me, is more window dressing and there for PR, ultimately to encourage donations.
At least the NRA won't be paying WLP's legal bills with my donations.
Although I'm an Endowment member, I dried up that spigot some time ago.
DF
LaPierre's greed has placed the NRA in jeopardy.
The NRA board/executives allowed Wayne's greed to place the NRA in jeopardy. They should have canned his ass a long time ago.
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
You assume that they weren't involved. I don't think that's possible, given that fact that utter idiots don't' end up on Boards of Directors.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Board doesn't govern, the bureaucracy (WLP) does. The Board, it seems to me, is more window dressing and there for PR, ultimately to encourage donations.
At least the NRA won't be paying WLP's legal bills with my donations.
Although I'm an Endowment member, I dried up that spigot some time ago.
DF
Boards of Directors are SUPPOSED to protect the fidelity of the brand of the company in order to protect its value. I think that is the gist of their function. I can't imagine that they wouldn't know far more about what kind of corruption has been going on behind the scenes. I doubt any of us know more than a small fraction of it. I can't figure that anyone on the Board wouldn't know about the corruption, or that any of them would keep their mouths shut about it without compensation, given the amount of dirt they had on specific people and what they had to lose by allowing the corruption to continue.
What we may be seeing here with the way Wayne has been "outed" is someone on the inside is burning him for not giving them enough of a payoff.
Regardless, it is obvious to me that while the NRA may have been advocates of gun rights in the first few decades of their existence, they have been on board with the "Progressive" agenda since. I will keep mentioning that they have supported every single federal gun law now on the books. They didn't fight those laws with the motive of protecting the 2nd Amendment. They advocated for those gun laws.
The NRA for many decades now has been fear-mongering to collect funds, then supporting gun laws, then fear-mongering to collect more funds. It's a typical political scam, and there are scores of examples now in this country.
Harlen Carter all over again, except now they will pay.
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
You assume that they weren't involved. I don't think that's possible, given that fact that utter idiots don't' end up on Boards of Directors.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Board doesn't govern, the bureaucracy (WLP) does. The Board, it seems to me, is more window dressing and there for PR, ultimately to encourage donations.
At least the NRA won't be paying WLP's legal bills with my donations.
Although I'm an Endowment member, I dried up that spigot some time ago.
DF
Boards of Directors are SUPPOSED to protect the fidelity of the brand of the company in order to protect its value. I think that is the gist of their function. I can't imagine that they wouldn't know far more about what kind of corruption has been going on behind the scenes. I doubt any of us know more than a small fraction of it. I can't figure that anyone on the Board wouldn't know about the corruption, or that any of them would keep their mouths shut about it without compensation, given the amount of dirt they had on specific people and what they had to lose by allowing the corruption to continue.
What we may be seeing here with the way Wayne has been "outed" is someone on the inside is burning him for not giving them enough of a payoff.
Regardless, it is obvious to me that while the NRA may have been advocates of gun rights in the first few decades of their existence, they have been on board with the "Progressive" agenda since. I will keep mentioning that they have supported every single federal gun law now on the books. They didn't fight those laws with the motive of protecting the 2nd Amendment. They advocated for those gun laws.
The NRA for many decades now has been fear-mongering to collect funds, then supporting gun laws, then fear-mongering to collect more funds. It's a typical political scam, and there are scores of examples now in this country.
For some reason, Pete Brownell couldn't get back to Iowa fast enough, only partially thru his term as President. Ollie and Cox are gone. Don't know the whole story, but they're not there, WLP is.
So, there have been internal struggles, WLP always coming out on top until this NY AG got the goods on him. And, she is a minority, screaming lib who would love to destroy the NRA (and us all if she could).
WLP just handed her a loaded gun...
DF
Guess the party is over for Wayne, no more luxurious yachts, paid vacations in the Bahamas on and on. Though he has a real nice $17,000,000 golden parachute to soften the landing.
I like to see Wayne in jail for the damage he’s done. All of the Officers and Board members should pay substantial fines.
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
You assume that they weren't involved. I don't think that's possible, given that fact that utter idiots don't' end up on Boards of Directors.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Board doesn't govern, the bureaucracy (WLP) does. The Board, it seems to me, is more window dressing and there for PR, ultimately to encourage donations.
At least the NRA won't be paying WLP's legal bills with my donations.
Although I'm an Endowment member, I dried up that spigot some time ago.
DF
Boards of Directors are SUPPOSED to protect the fidelity of the brand of the company in order to protect its value. I think that is the gist of their function. I can't imagine that they wouldn't know far more about what kind of corruption has been going on behind the scenes. I doubt any of us know more than a small fraction of it. I can't figure that anyone on the Board wouldn't know about the corruption, or that any of them would keep their mouths shut about it without compensation, given the amount of dirt they had on specific people and what they had to lose by allowing the corruption to continue.
What we may be seeing here with the way Wayne has been "outed" is someone on the inside is burning him for not giving them enough of a payoff.
Regardless, it is obvious to me that while the NRA may have been advocates of gun rights in the first few decades of their existence, they have been on board with the "Progressive" agenda since. I will keep mentioning that they have supported every single federal gun law now on the books. They didn't fight those laws with the motive of protecting the 2nd Amendment. They advocated for those gun laws.
The NRA for many decades now has been fear-mongering to collect funds, then supporting gun laws, then fear-mongering to collect more funds. It's a typical political scam, and there are scores of examples now in this country.
For some reason, Pete Brownell couldn't get back to Iowa fast enough, only partially thru his term as President. Ollie and Cox are gone. Don't know the whole story, but they're not there, WLP is.
So, there have been internal struggles, WLP always coming out on top until this NY AG got the goods on him. And, she is a minority, screaming lib who would love to destroy the NRA (and us all if she could).
WLP just handed her a loaded gun...
DF
It would be pretty enlightening to know all of the goings-on behind the scenes. I wish we could somehow be privy to all the facts.
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
You assume that they weren't involved. I don't think that's possible, given that fact that utter idiots don't' end up on Boards of Directors.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Board doesn't govern, the bureaucracy (WLP) does. The Board, it seems to me, is more window dressing and there for PR, ultimately to encourage donations.
At least the NRA won't be paying WLP's legal bills with my donations.
Although I'm an Endowment member, I dried up that spigot some time ago.
DF
Boards of Directors are SUPPOSED to protect the fidelity of the brand of the company in order to protect its value. I think that is the gist of their function. I can't imagine that they wouldn't know far more about what kind of corruption has been going on behind the scenes. I doubt any of us know more than a small fraction of it. I can't figure that anyone on the Board wouldn't know about the corruption, or that any of them would keep their mouths shut about it without compensation, given the amount of dirt they had on specific people and what they had to lose by allowing the corruption to continue.
What we may be seeing here with the way Wayne has been "outed" is someone on the inside is burning him for not giving them enough of a payoff.
Regardless, it is obvious to me that while the NRA may have been advocates of gun rights in the first few decades of their existence, they have been on board with the "Progressive" agenda since. I will keep mentioning that they have supported every single federal gun law now on the books. They didn't fight those laws with the motive of protecting the 2nd Amendment. They advocated for those gun laws.
The NRA for many decades now has been fear-mongering to collect funds, then supporting gun laws, then fear-mongering to collect more funds. It's a typical political scam, and there are scores of examples now in this country.
For some reason, Pete Brownell couldn't get back to Iowa fast enough, only partially thru his term as President. Ollie and Cox are gone. Don't know the whole story, but they're not there, WLP is.
So, there have been internal struggles, WLP always coming out on top until this NY AG got the goods on him. And, she is a minority, screaming lib who would love to destroy the NRA (and us all if she could).
WLP just handed her a loaded gun...
DF
It would be pretty enlightening to know all of the goings-on behind the scenes. I wish we could somehow be privy to all the facts.
Yep, for sure.
Just to be a fly on the wall...
But, then you'd probably have to testify...
DF
Wayne destroyed the NRA, and did a fine job of it.
Don't worry, Jorge will email someone he knows.
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
You assume that they weren't involved. I don't think that's possible, given that fact that utter idiots don't' end up on Boards of Directors.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Board doesn't govern, the bureaucracy (WLP) does. The Board, it seems to me, is more window dressing and there for PR, ultimately to encourage donations.
At least the NRA won't be paying WLP's legal bills with my donations.
Although I'm an Endowment member, I dried up that spigot some time ago.
DF
The Board of Directors is responsible for hiring and firing the CEO.
That should be enough to tell us the Board’s priorities.
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
You assume that they weren't involved. I don't think that's possible, given that fact that utter idiots don't' end up on Boards of Directors.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Board doesn't govern, the bureaucracy (WLP) does. The Board, it seems to me, is more window dressing and there for PR, ultimately to encourage donations.
At least the NRA won't be paying WLP's legal bills with my donations.
Although I'm an Endowment member, I dried up that spigot some time ago.
DF
The Board of Directors is responsible for hiring and firing the CEO.
That should be enough to tell us the Board’s priorities.
The board is complicit in WLP’s actions. They are all wealthy “business people” and enjoyed some of the same “benefits” WLP did (exorbitant all expenses paid travel, use of the donated yacht and properties, and free perks from many manufacturers), on the dime of membership and foundation donors. For the NRA to survive, with any hope of regaining the trust of its supporters, a thorough house cleaning is needed, including the board.
I guess now is a bad time to purchase a Life membership.
I guess now is a bad time to purchase a Life membership.
I'm sure they' take your money.
DF
I guess now is a bad time to purchase a Life membership.
I'm sure they' take your money.
DF
Of course they will.
The road goes on forever and the party never ends. After all the the good life and yachts tap is on the members.
Why exactly has WLP still not been canned?
Boards of Directors are SUPPOSED to protect the fidelity of the brand of the company in order to protect its value. I think that is the gist of their function. I can't imagine that they wouldn't know far more about what kind of corruption has been going on behind the scenes. I doubt any of us know more than a small fraction of it. I can't figure that anyone on the Board wouldn't know about the corruption, or that any of them would keep their mouths shut about it without compensation, given the amount of dirt they had on specific people and what they had to lose by allowing the corruption to continue.
What we may be seeing here with the way Wayne has been "outed" is someone on the inside is burning him for not giving them enough of a payoff.
Regardless, it is obvious to me that while the NRA may have been advocates of gun rights in the first few decades of their existence, they have been on board with the "Progressive" agenda since. I will keep mentioning that they have supported every single federal gun law now on the books. They didn't fight those laws with the motive of protecting the 2nd Amendment. They advocated for those gun laws.
The NRA for many decades now has been fear-mongering to collect funds, then supporting gun laws, then fear-mongering to collect more funds. It's a typical political scam, and there are scores of examples now in this country.
+++ Nailed it right there! +++
Some pundits said today that the NRA filled a counter suit and that the suit filled against the NRA is just election year postering going nowhere. They do need to clean house though...
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
You assume that they weren't involved. I don't think that's possible, given that fact that utter idiots don't' end up on Boards of Directors.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Board doesn't govern, the bureaucracy (WLP) does. The Board, it seems to me, is more window dressing and there for PR, ultimately to encourage donations.
At least the NRA won't be paying WLP's legal bills with my donations.
Although I'm an Endowment member, I dried up that spigot some time ago.
DF
Boards of Directors are SUPPOSED to protect the fidelity of the brand of the company in order to protect its value. I think that is the gist of their function. I can't imagine that they wouldn't know far more about what kind of corruption has been going on behind the scenes. I doubt any of us know more than a small fraction of it. I can't figure that anyone on the Board wouldn't know about the corruption, or that any of them would keep their mouths shut about it without compensation, given the amount of dirt they had on specific people and what they had to lose by allowing the corruption to continue.
What we may be seeing here with the way Wayne has been "outed" is someone on the inside is burning him for not giving them enough of a payoff.
Regardless, it is obvious to me that while the NRA may have been advocates of gun rights in the first few decades of their existence, they have been on board with the "Progressive" agenda since. I will keep mentioning that they have supported every single federal gun law now on the books. They didn't fight those laws with the motive of protecting the 2nd Amendment. They advocated for those gun laws.
The NRA for many decades now has been fear-mongering to collect funds, then supporting gun laws, then fear-mongering to collect more funds. It's a typical political scam, and there are scores of examples now in this country.
For some reason, Pete Brownell couldn't get back to Iowa fast enough, only partially thru his term as President. Ollie and Cox are gone. Don't know the whole story, but they're not there, WLP is.
So, there have been internal struggles, WLP always coming out on top until this NY AG got the goods on him. And, she is a minority, screaming lib who would love to destroy the NRA (and us all if she could).
WLP just handed her a loaded gun...
DF
It would be pretty enlightening to know all of the goings-on behind the scenes. I wish we could somehow be privy to all the facts.
Some info here, just started listening,
https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/gangster-capitalismWLP outta be skinned alive... bastard of the worst kind, IMO worse than ALL the lefts that want to take firearms...
Betrayal deserves payback
Join Gun Owners of America instead for effective action. The only reason to join the NRA these days is for the magazines or if your gun club requires a 100% NRA membership. The only reason I want the NRA to be successful in this attack is I don't want to hear how King Cuomo took down the NRA for the next 20 years.
The inactions by the board of directors are a big part of the issue here. They knew, or should have known about all this financial abuse. They should have stopped it or fired Wayne, or both.
Allen West wrote an open letter about the spending and the power grab of Lapierre. The board was powerless against Lapierre and if one stood against him they were ousted
I drove to see him speak at an event around 2004. It was a free event, but he canceled last minute with a few hundred people standing around waiting for him. That doesn't make him a horrible person, he may have been sick or whatever but I never cared to hear him again after that.
I'm guessing his demise was gradual. He could justify an expensive suit given the circles he was in and the donors he was courting, he could justify the car, the travel budget - then a few years later he finds himself on a yacht, vacations in the bahamas and side deals worth millions. The people against him just don't "understand the value" he brings to the organization. In his mind he has to do these things to court the big dollar people. Its probably similar to how any corporate CEO justifies million dollar salaries while their stock is crashing.