NRA's legal troubles have cost them over 100 million

[nedsurf]

Good. Unless there is a major regime change transforming the NRA into a more effective 2A advocate, I hope to see GOA or SAF on that building when driving down I-66.

 

[PowPow]

In addition to SAF and GOA, the Firearms Policy Coalition is something to pay attention to. They've been pretty involved in litigation the last few years.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

So this is why I get my annual Life Member card every 4-5 years in the mail?

 

[KevinK]

All I can say is, members should take a look at NRA's charter...They may be liable for any debt if the organization goes down.

??

Tried to search, but nothing.

I don't know how one would obtain the corporate charter...That's what you would want to look at.

Since it appears you have looked at it, please tell us what it says, that you think members will be liable for NRA debt.

 

[rascal]

All I can say is, members should take a look at NRA's charter...They may be liable for any debt if the organization goes down.

Nothing it is charter and nothing in the case law on this type of membership group confer any liability to membership whatsoever.

The NRA's fiscal troubles are of its own making.

At least five million was dedicated by major gun control group funder Kendeda Fund to directly attack NRA's income though "gunsdownamerica" group. Certainly the NRA has responsibility for many aspects of its problems, but a lot of the aspects that it has undergone criticism for are VERY common in non profits that do a lot of political advocacy. And any group that was subject to microscope and well funded professional attacks NRA has undergone would be damaged. The GOA is just as susceptible if it ever becomes relevant or powerful

They are as persistent as the people trying to sell you an extended warranty on your vehicle.

Respectfully so is ACLU, Human Rights Campaign, NAACP etc. So certainly is GOA whome zi sent a small donation too and who pesters me and sends out scare emails mischaracterizing issues, and which seems intent on focusing its members money on the path of least resistance, passing meaningless laws in deep red states and not actually have any strategic victories whatsoever.

While I am not happy with the leadership and direction of the NRA of late....secret recordings and government aimed investigations. What if trump unleased the IRS or DOJ on PP? When they were recorded selling body parts the people recoding were criminally prosecuted if I recall. With it's faults the NRA is still needed.

Agreed. Any group subjected to what NRA has been subjected to would be killed.

None of our alternative groups, not SAF, certainly not GOA have anywhere near the depth and breadth of the NRA. NRA was running until just a couple of years ago 58% approvals/positive view in national gallup polls (among all Americans not just gun owners) and extremely high name recognition. it is the only actual "gun safety" organization in the US, training millions of gun owners.

It does have serious governance problems and like a lot of groups its head was oriented toward fundraising, meaning speaking to the choir. It's most acute structural problem was the hiring of outside group to handle too many aspects of its core operations and ending up with inappropriate power. But that is also very common. My work has had me consulting for a number of politically active membership non profits in DC (I have never had any relationship with NRA professionally) that have policy agendas. With the flaws of the NRA you are seeing an example of the sausage factory, but is an example of how things are, not an outlier.

I want LaPierre gone, but without the NRA we are fkd. GOA and SAF are not teaching course, interacting wit the public, running a legion of youth programs, they are pure advocacy small groups and even easier to attack down the road.

Consider this, NRA had Colin Noir as a direct result of its deeply troubled NRA-TV scheme, and NRA-TV was at the hear of its outside party management/slush fund. OK, firsly you have ot be a rube to not know that such funding is common, but even if you don't consider this: Colin Noir was amazingly and clearly effective at messaging to a key group, moderately to low gun control involvement/low issue knowledge gun owners in danger of becoming "fudds." That is a HUGE and key target group contested between our side and the 10x moneyed gun control fronts. What is the evidence, track record, of the other "alternate" second amendment advocacy groups on that front? A: Zip. What is the evidence GOA has any penetration among new gun owners NRA achieved through teaching programs? A:ZIP

 

[eruby]

All I can say is, members should take a look at NRA's charter...They may be liable for any debt if the organization goes down.

Nothing it is charter and nothing in the case law on this type of membership group confer any liability to membership whatsoever.

Perhaps next, 777GSOTB will claim "he invented the question mark".

 

[whistlersmother]

Perhaps next, 777GSOTB will claim "he invented the question mark".

Great. Now I gotta clean my keyboard...

 

[CharlieFoxtrot]

All I can say is, members should take a look at NRA's charter...They may be liable for any debt if the organization goes down.

One of the main purpose of a corporation is to insulate the members from personal liability.

 

[davsco]

before you kick nra to the curb, just remember when all the dems, bashers, anti-2a, demanding moms, etc want to do their thing, they always go after and blame the evil nra. not goa, saf or anyone else. while the nra has done some if not a lot wrong, keep in mind the nra crumbling would be a major positive for the anti's.

 

[Some Guy]

NPR calls it "legal troubles." It's selective prosecution by corrupt governments that want our rights quashed.

What did Holder call this stuff? "Prosecutorial discretion." NY AG does f*ck all about the Clinton foundation and all the other leftist cronies in the back pocket. NY government passess horrific laws that prevent banks from doing business with the NRA. And yet NPR calls these things "legal troubles." Bullsh*t.

I'm not crazy about nra's leadership and how they spend our money. But we should be clear that they are getting harassed by an out of control government, including NPR. They want NRA dead, and they'll come after GOA, 2AF and all the others right after that.

Hold fast, sailors. Hold fast.

 

[PowPow]

One of the main purpose of a corporation is to insulate the members from personal liability.

The NRA a non-profit organization, aka a 501(c)(4). I don't know much more about that, but it seems a stretch to me that membership in the NRA would confer shareholder responsibilities and liability.

 

[Clump]

This letter was in my email this morning:

ALL NRA MEMBERS ARE ASKED TO REVIEW
THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION BELOW IMMEDIATELY



Dear Charles,

I need you to read this message from me in its entirety, because it concerns the immediate survival of the NRA.

As every American knows, we are living through a moment in history that the world will remember for the next 500 years.

Our cities have been at a standstill. Tens of millions of citizens have been on virtual lockdown in their homes. Businesses and American families are suffering enormously from the economic fallout of this crisis that’s worse than anything we’ve seen since the Great Depression.

I want you to know that, on behalf of everyone here at NRA, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family – and every member of our NRA family across this great nation.

But at the same time, I need you to know just how hard the NRA has been hit by this crisis.

And I need you to understand that, without the emergency support of members like you at this time, NRA simply will not be able to weather this storm in the coming months – and continue to lead freedom’s fight like we have for the past 149 years.

I’ve been forced to make some of the most gut-wrenching decisions of my life – decisions that have impacted some of the most wonderful people who have ever fought for the Second Amendment.

But they were decisions that had to be made in an effort to save the NRA.

Over the past few weeks alone, the coronavirus crisis has cost NRA tens of millions of dollars.

DONATE NOW




For the first time in history, we canceled our entire annual national convention – a severe financial blow to this organization. We have likewise been forced to cancel hundreds of Friends of NRA and donor events across the country which provide essential, year-round funding for key NRA programs.

In addition, we’ve seen a significant drop in dues and contributions from NRA members whose own families have been hard-hit by this unprecedented, worldwide crisis.

And on top of all of this, the attacks we continue to face from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York Attorney General Letitia James – who are attempting to use the crushing power of government to force NRA out of business – are costing us millions of dollars in lost revenue from our insurance and affinity partners, and in legal fees to defend against these unwarranted attacks.

Any single one of these situations would have created serious financial challenges for the NRA.

Taken together, and all at once, they have created a catastrophic situation and a financial crisis that – without your emergency help – we simply cannot survive.

DONATE NOW




To keep NRA going in the short term, I’ve already made some of the hardest decisions I’ve ever faced in my 40 years here.

The NRA has been forced to eliminate dozens of positions – impacting good people who have dedicated their lives to serving you and our Second Amendment cause.

We have furloughed many more, in the hope that we can bring them back at some point in the future, but with no guarantee we will be able to do so.

And salaries across the board have been slashed here at the NRA.

As a result of these actions, many vital NRA educational and outreach programs will suffer. But right now, NRA must be laser focused on one task and only one task.

And that’s to keep this organization alive so we can play a meaningful role in stopping a gun-ban takeover in Washington in this November’s do-or-die elections.

The cutbacks that I’ve put in place will help. But they will only get us so far.

To be blunt, I’ve done everything I can to take this organization down to the bare bones while keeping us in operation.

But now, the decision rests on you and your fellow members to help this organization survive and ensure that we can keep the Second Amendment alive after this crisis has passed.

And I’m asking you to make an emergency contribution today by clicking here or calling 844-SAVE-NRA to help keep this great fighting machine in operation until this nation and our economy can get back on their feet.

No matter what steps you and your family are taking to keep yourselves safe in the short term, please look into your heart and look into America’s future today – and imagine what our country will look like in just a few months if the NRA is not able to stand guard for freedom.

When we emerge from this crisis, Michael Bloomberg will still have billions of dollars in the bank – and an all-consuming passion to use those billions to crush your gun rights.

The hate-filled anti-gun media will still have their powerful, 24/7 platform to pump anti-gun lies and Fake News into American living rooms every night.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Letitia James will still have hundreds of millions of tax dollars at their disposal to hammer the NRA with bogus investigations and, in Cuomo’s own words, “put the NRA out of business” through strong-arm tactics.

And unless the NRA can rally tens of millions of gun owners to the polls this November – like we did in 2016 to help put President Trump over the top – Joe Biden will be the next President of the United States.

If NRA isn’t there at the end of this crisis to stand and fight against anti-gun billionaires, media elites, the state of New York and a gun-ban federal government, there is no way in heaven or hell that you and I will be able to keep our guns.

But to save the NRA it’s going to require every hand on deck, pulling together with every ounce of strength we can muster.

DONATE NOW




In the end, this isn’t about the NRA, or our employees, or anything we’ve achieved over the past 149 years. It’s about you. It’s about your freedoms. It’s about your children and what kind of a country we want to leave for them.

It’s about whether a microscopic virus from China can kill the NRA and 250 years of American freedom.

That’s why I’m asking you to help save the NRA by making the most generous emergency contribution you can afford today by clicking here or calling 844-SAVE-NRA.

If your family has been hard-hit by the economic crisis but you’re still able to chip in $5 or $10, I hope you will.

If you’re able to make a contribution of $25 or $50 or $100, please do. And if you’re among those Americans who can afford to give $250, $500, or even $1,000 or more, please be as generous as you can.

DONATE NOW




If you can help, I will be forever grateful. And you will have the gratitude of millions of Americans, today and for generations to come, who may never know your name but who will know what you did to save the NRA and save freedom at this time.

As I said at the beginning of this email, we’ve been hit with a perfect storm of financial disasters that none of us could have known about.

But there’s one thing I do know: That you’ll fight for freedom until your last breath. Now is the time to raise your fist and make your stand.

So please, help support the NRA at this critical time in our nation’s history.

Thank you in advance for your generosity at this difficult time.

Sincerely,


Wayne LaPierre
Executive Vice President

DONATE NOW

Got to admit, I'm torn. Like most I believe WLP and his buddies need to go, but they sure do annoy the demanding moms, etc. I wonder what personal sacrifices WLP has made to help save the NRA?

 

[Tebonski]

I donate. I would rather see Wayne in nice suits we paid for than see democrats laughing, giggling they took down the NRA.

 

[PowPow]

This letter was in my email this morning:

Got to admit, I'm torn. Like most I believe WLP and his buddies need to go, but they sure do annoy the demanding moms, etc. I wonder what personal sacrifices WLP has made to help save the NRA?

They best thing he could have said (AND DIDN'T) would have been, "The easiest part of this decision making process was for me to forego taking any salary, compensation, and reimbursable expenses until the NRA is on solid ground once more."

He is using the NRA for his own benefit. When it goes bankrupt, he will go away.

 

[Doctor_M]

I got something the other day congratulating me on my tireless efforts to support the NRA and honoring me with the opportunity to be recognized as an NRA "Golden Eagle", which basically consists of me giving them a check for an additional $250 per year and them giving me a lapel pin.

They have lost their minds. I politely told them that they will see additional donations from me when they get their own house in order.

 

[Matlack]

Wayne LaPierre = Eddie Lampert.

 

[Muleskinner]

I donate. I would rather see Wayne in nice suits we paid for than see democrats laughing, giggling they took down the NRA.

And then here they're assholes slam shut as a real Second Amendment advocacy group takes their place. NRA not real advocates

 

[Bob A]

RESIGN NOW

Take one for the team you led to ruin.

RESIGN NOW

The appearance of corruption has damaged the organisation.

RESIGN NOW

 

[Conaso]

I donate. I would rather see Wayne in nice suits we paid for than see democrats laughing, giggling they took down the NRA.

The Democrats and Anti-2A people do not have to take down the NRA, it is taking itself down. Often, the most dangerous enemy is within.

 

[Allen65]

The Democrats and Anti-2A people do not have to take down the NRA, it is taking itself down. Often, the most dangerous enemy is within.

Enemy within isn't quite the description. Cultural rot and leadership hubris is probably more accurate. I don't think anyone inside was actually trying to destroy the organization, they had active incentive to keep the gravy train going indefinitely.