Staff Reports
A New York judge has decided that Wayne LaPierre, the long-standing face of the National Rifle Association, will have to take a decade-long seat on the sidelines as if he’s been sentenced to a decade in the equivalent of political purgatory. The ruling came from State Supreme Court Judge Joel Cohen, who slapped LaPierre with a 10-year ban following the conclusion of a civil corruption trial where the jury found the NRA and its leaders guilty of being a bit too comfortable with both the law and public funds.
While the judge took a stance against appointing an independent monitor to babysit the NRA’s finances, a demand pushed by the ever-hungry New York Attorney General Letitia James, it was still a ‘you’re grounded’ moment for LaPierre. James was whetting her appetite for a permanent ousting of LaPierre from the NRA, since it seems the good folks at the AG’s office have decided it’s their mission to sanitize the organization. However, Cohen clearly felt that 10 years was enough to teach LaPierre a lesson, but not enough to keep him from plotting a comeback if he can manage to stay out of trouble.
Washington Examiner: Judge temporarily bars LaPierre from NRA leadership https://t.co/E69mu0OfDj
— Ian Hansen 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHansenFeed) July 30, 2024
The civil trial’s first phase had jurors finding that there was a massive pocket-lining operation in full swing, with LaPierre grossly mismanaging over $4 million in NRA funds. This included a range of luxurious expenditures that would make even Elvis blush. LaPierre was ordered to repay nearly $4.4 million, because apparently living the high life comes with strings attached—especially when the money isn’t your own.
Adding to the circus, former NRA finance chief Wilson Phillips has also opted for a 10-year time-out from managing nonprofit funds in New York, presumably to reflect on just how one gets so tangled up in financial messes. He was found to have helped LaPierre hide luxurious spending habits, from private jets to all sorts of extravagance. Phillips has his own damages to reckon with, with $2 million tagging along behind him like a pesky shadow.
As if LaPierre’s decline wasn’t entertaining enough, he attempted to play the health card before the trial even kicked off, announcing his resignation after approximately 30 years at the helm of the NRA. The jurors, however, weren’t buying his retirement line and still deemed it necessary for him to be removed based on his blatant breach of duty. It wouldn’t be a proper political drama without a sprinkle of irony. LaPierre’s desire to maintain his “right to associate freely” feels like the last lifeline for a captain of a sinking ship.
In the wake of these events, the NRA’s membership has taken quite the nosedive, with dues dropping to about $62 million in 2023 from a robust $170 million in 2018. This stark decline has led some to speculate whether the NRA’s ability to represent its members is fading faster than a politician’s campaign promise. With their leadership facing scrutiny and members possibly jumping ship, the NRA may soon realize it’s time to regroup or risk being just another tale of a great American institution gone wrong.
