NRA On The Hot Seat - Exposed or Attacked?

[Greyman]

This is an older article but it details why the NRA is no friend of hunters, particularly public land hunters.

It's Time for Hunters to Leave the NRA

America's proudest tradition should never be used as an excuse for anti-American politics

www.outsideonline.com

"Senator Mike Lee of Utah has stated that he wants to hand over all federal public lands over to the states—a prospect that will cost Utah taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, and that we know is just a thinly veiled excuse to force the sale of those lands to private interests. If that happened, hunting would become accessible only to the rich. The NRA donated $23,000 in trackable donations to Lee’s 2016 campaign.
House National Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) fought vehemently to have the Bears Ears monument designation rescinded. That area has some of the best elk hunting in the world, and today that population enjoys less protection and hunters have less access, due in part to Bishop’s efforts. The NRA publicly donated $4,000 to his 2016 campaign.
Hunters staged nationwide protests last year when Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) proposed selling off 3.3 million acres of public land he deemed “disposable.” The NRA publicly donated $2,000 to his 2016 campaign and $1,500 in 2012. "

 

[come2elmo]

This is an older article but it details why the NRA is no friend of hunters, particularly public land hunters.

It's Time for Hunters to Leave the NRA

America's proudest tradition should never be used as an excuse for anti-American politics

www.outsideonline.com

"Senator Mike Lee of Utah has stated that he wants to hand over all federal public lands over to the states—a prospect that will cost Utah taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, and that we know is just a thinly veiled excuse to force the sale of those lands to private interests. If that happened, hunting would become accessible only to the rich. The NRA donated $23,000 in trackable donations to Lee’s 2016 campaign.
House National Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) fought vehemently to have the Bears Ears monument designation rescinded. That area has some of the best elk hunting in the world, and today that population enjoys less protection and hunters have less access, due in part to Bishop’s efforts. The NRA publicly donated $4,000 to his 2016 campaign.
Hunters staged nationwide protests last year when Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) proposed selling off 3.3 million acres of public land he deemed “disposable.” The NRA publicly donated $2,000 to his 2016 campaign and $1,500 in 2012. "

Are the donation numbers available for the various political figures who are deemed supportive of public lands?

 

[bullbugle307]

There's so much to injest here, and it looks awfully bad for the NRA. There's no doubt about that.

But in a way I'm happy that this issue has come to head. Its difficult to imagine the downsides of the NRA being discussed even 5 years ago amongst gun owners. It would have been considered too taboo for most to talk about publicly, regardless of how they privately felt. I know most gun owners I talked to just a few years back looked like I just farted in church when I mentioned I didn't care for the NRAs messaging and many of their relationships with sketchy politicians.

I believe there are some serious downsides to the NRAs messaging. Gun owners are typically "right leaning", but trying to present all gun ownership as a homogenous, irrational, callous, super far right group just makes it that much easier for the anti's to attack us. If I felt like the NRA came across as irrational and fear mongering in a lot of their messaging, imagine how someone on the fence about guns rights felt. The reality of the demographics of guns owners in America is so much different than the messaging the NRA was putting out. Gun owners and those who benefit from the 2A are so numerous and so diverse that I always felt like that approach was highly flawed. And putting an issue like gun ownership and 2A squarely into the realm of identity politics was a huge mistake in the long term.

 

[Trial153]

Honestly, I am not seeing any repercussions from this issue. I just received my American hunter magazine and it's the same typical NRA rhetoric that lacks any type of self introspection all it is is blaming other people.

 

[Losing_Sanity]

Honestly, I am not seeing any repercussions from this issue. I just received my American hunter magazine and it's the same typical NRA rhetoric that lacks any type of self introspection all it is is blaming other people.

I agree... It seems status quo.

 

[Gut Shot]

More fodder:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/20/...BwYnjwmu-KCjvOYT9USqrtygUI8mPps2A_TJRoprimRo4

"The palace intrigue at the National Rifle Association deepened on Thursday as the gun group suspended its second-in-command and top lobbyist, accusing him of complicity in the recent failed coup against its chief executive, Wayne LaPierre."

" Mr. Cox, in a statement, said: “The allegations against me are offensive and patently false. For over 24 years I have been a loyal and effective leader in this organization. My efforts have always been focused on serving the members of the National Rifle Association, and I will continue to focus all of my energy on carrying out our core mission of defending the Second Amendment.”

 

[bobbydean]

Any member high in the NRA echelon should be complicit in removing Wayne Lapierre. It is what needs to be done!

 

[beginnerhunter]

Honestly, I am not seeing any repercussions from this issue. I just received my American hunter magazine and it's the same typical NRA rhetoric that lacks any type of self introspection all it is is blaming other people.

Not surprising, these tactics have served them well for a long time. But it can't last. There's a finite number of old conservative white boomers and they're dying. I don't think the people replacing them will be as tuned into the NRA rhetoric, even if they support gun rights. Does anyone really think the NRA will be as well supported by gen Xers and millennials?

Of course I've been predicting the conservative apocalypse for years and it hasn't happened yet.

More fodder:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/20/...BwYnjwmu-KCjvOYT9USqrtygUI8mPps2A_TJRoprimRo4

"The palace intrigue at the National Rifle Association deepened on Thursday as the gun group suspended its second-in-command and top lobbyist, accusing him of complicity in the recent failed coup against its chief executive, Wayne LaPierre."

" Mr. Cox, in a statement, said: “The allegations against me are offensive and patently false. For over 24 years I have been a loyal and effective leader in this organization. My efforts have always been focused on serving the members of the National Rifle Association, and I will continue to focus all of my energy on carrying out our core mission of defending the Second Amendment.”

He didn't really deny it in that statement. Reminds me of Varys before Drogon roasted him. "I will always serve the realm...of the NRA."

 

[Gut Shot]

But wait, there's more:

https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/nra-north.pdf

So basically the NRA is suing to prevent Oliver North from using NRA funds to pay for legal fees associated with subpoenas resulting from his actions as NRA president.

 

[LopeHunter]

Welps, if the NRA wanted a Life member to walk away, then they are doing a great job of motivating me to do so.

 

[Gr8bawana]

 

[RobG]

More fodder:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/20/...BwYnjwmu-KCjvOYT9USqrtygUI8mPps2A_TJRoprimRo4

"The palace intrigue at the National Rifle Association deepened on Thursday as the gun group suspended its second-in-command and top lobbyist, accusing him of complicity in the recent failed coup against its chief executive, Wayne LaPierre."

" Mr. Cox, in a statement, said: “The allegations against me are offensive and patently false. For over 24 years I have been a loyal and effective leader in this organization. My efforts have always been focused on serving the members of the National Rifle Association, and I will continue to focus all of my energy on carrying out our core mission of defending the Second Amendment.”

Send the dissenters to the firing squad. This whole thing resembles too closely how third world dictators remain in power.

 

[Trial153]

When your the only game in town and you cornered the market on fear mongering it easy to see how they all became fast and loose with other peoples money.

 

[88man]

HomeNewsNEWS: NRA Suspends 2nd in Command for Assisting Coup Attempt

NEWS: NRA Suspends 2nd in Command for Assisting Coup Attempt
11 ReactionsJune 20, 2019NewsBy GetZone0 Comments
The NRA suspended its top lobbyist, Chris Cox, and one of his deputy chief of staff, Scott Christman, adding further turmoil to the gun-rights group’s leadership ranks as it wages legal battles on multiple fronts and prepares for a bruising 2020 election cycle.
The moves came after Oliver North, the former NRA board president, was ousted from the organization in April after it accused him of leading an attempted coup against Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the NRA who has long served as the organization’s leader. North alleged that LaPierre used the group to enrich himself. As part of the infighting, the NRA sued Ackerman McQueen Inc., its longtime advertising firm, and in turn Ackerman cut ties with the group.
On Wednesday night, the NRA filed a lawsuit against North arguing that he didn’t have the right to legal fees from the NRA. The lawsuit says that Cox, described as a “likely successor” to lead the organization, participated in the failed bid to oust LaPierre.
Related Stories: NEWS: New York State Investigates NRA
The leadership struggle came to a head on April 24, according to the lawsuit. That’s when North talked to a LaPierre aide by phone and threatened to reveal unflattering details about LaPierre’s travel and clothing expenses unless he resigned and supported “North’s continued tenure as president,” according to the complaint, which calls the exchange an extortion.
North also promised to arrange an “excellent retirement” for LaPierre through Ackerman McQueen if he resigned, the NRA claims.
The NRA filed its suit against Ackerman McQueen in mid-April, claiming it refused to turn over details about North’s contract with the advertising firm. Last month, the NRA sued again, claiming Ackerman McQueen engineered the failed coup attempt by leaking damaging information to undermine NRA leaders.
The firm fired back with a breach-of-contract countersuit, claiming that the NRA was just trying to get out of its service agreement with the firm and that it had provided all the information sought by the gun group.
North was aided in his efforts against LaPierre by NRA board member Dan Boren, a former congressman who’s now a top executive for Chickasaw Nation, a major Ackerman McQueen client, according to the NRA complaint filed on Wednesday. Boren “helped to choreograph the ultimatum they presented to Mr. LaPierre,” it said.
In emails obtained by the NRA, Boren “admitted his knowledge that Ackerman may have been invoicing the NRA for full salaries of employees who were actually working on the Chickasaw Nation account.” Those emails also show that Cox was an “errant fiduciary” who “participated in the Ackerman/North/Boren conspiracy,” the NRA claims.
The complaint asks a judge to declare that the NRA shouldn’t be required to cover North’s legal fees for subpoenas arising from its litigation with Ackerman McQueen and from a Senate Finance Committee request for information. North’s attorney had demanded that the NRA cover his legal fees for the congressional probe and for “any other inquiries” that he “may receive” in the future, it said.
Cox’s suspension was reported earlier by the New York Times. Cox’s spokeswoman told the Times that he played no role in the coup attempt.
The suspensions throw the group’s political operation into turmoil just days after President Donald Trump announced his re-election bid. The NRA spent heavily to support Trump during the 2016 race, and Cox has met with the president multiple times during his tenure. Speaking at the NRA’s annual meeting this year, Trump was introduced by Cox rather than LaPierre.
A lawyer for North, Brendan Sullivan, declined to comment and said he would respond in a court filing.
As the group’s chief lobbyist, Cox oversaw nine different divisions, including federal, state, and local government affairs. “Cox develops and executes independent political campaigns and legislative initiatives. He also serves as the Association’s principal contact with the United States Senate and House of Representatives, the White House and federal agencies,” the NRA Foundation wrote on its website in a profile of Cox.
Full, original story: www.bloomberg.com
2Achris coxnewsNRAoliver north

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[Gut Shot]

They just keep digging. Seems that now they are censuring members of the board. This is from Tim Knight's facebook page.

"??And now the retribution: Because I publicly expressed concern over current NRA management’s leadership and spurious spending, I am being punished. It has come down from the Officers of the NRA, as I publicly predicted, I will not be given any committee assignments*. Oh well, I work for the members and if speaking up has a cost I will pay it. I need a strong NRA so I believe we as your elected Board should address the issues and concerns, not ignore them. Our Assocation is suffering from self inflicted mismanagement and we are losing the trust of our members. I am called a “divider” but I did not create these problems. Better yet an agent of Bloomberg. <-LOL ??: I have been directly involved in beating Bloomberg money in political campaigns three times. Twice in one day in 2013. So let’s stop ?? shenanigans and get the NRA back on track for 2020.

I am not sure the members will be pleased that I have been boxed out. This Assocation still belongs to my boss, the members. I will still do what the members elected me to do, grassroots member engagement.

I am still a Board Member and I still have a vote on the Boardroom floor. I can still sit in on commitee meetings unless I am asked to leave but I am no longer welcome in the discussion.

* I had served most recently on Grassroots and Publication. I have asked for more than two committees for years."

 

[jryoung]

Where change can come is from the industry folks who give millions to the NRA. I think that is where the true pressure will come.

N.R.A. Donor Directs a Revolt Against a ‘Radioactive’ Leader (Published 2019)

A major contributor is rallying donors to withhold millions, calling for Wayne LaPierre’s ouster and other reforms.

www.nytimes.com

 

[rwc101]

https://thehill.com/regulation/lobbying/455862-three-nra-board-members-resign-from-organization

Three board members resign.

 

[Irrelevant]

"...as part of their duties on the 76-person board..." holy cow, that's a giant board.

 

[vanish]

I would have hoped it was some of the questionable board members that resigned, but no.

Instead of cleaning up, the NRA is doubling down.

These board member that resigned were ostracized due to asking questions.

 

[ignorethefringes]

I would have hoped it was some of the questionable board members that resigned, but no.

Instead of cleaning up, the NRA is doubling down.

These board member that resigned were ostracized due to asking questions.

Agreed. It seems like the NRA is going to fight this all the way to their eventual demise. SMH.