William Simpson
Dallas — The National Rifle Association, which had its image tarnished by the former leader Wayne LaPierre’s excessive spendingelected Doug Hamlin as executive vice president and CEO on Monday.
“Our association finds itself at a defining moment in our history, and the future of America and constitutional freedoms depends on the success of the NRA,” said Hamlin, who most recently served as executive director of NRA publications. Hamlin said in a statement that he looks forward to working with the team to “advance public policies and policies that are in the best interests of our members and all gun owners.”
The gun rights lobbying group’s board of directors has elected former Republican congressman Bob Barr of Georgia as its new chairman.
“I have been a fighter my entire life and I pledge to courageously fight for our Second Amendment rights on behalf of the millions of NRA members,” Barr said in a statement. “Us we need to increase our ranksespecially in this election year, and I pledge to focus my attention on doing just that.”
Former President Trump addressed the group on Saturday and received the organization’s endorsement in this year’s presidential election. About 72,000 people attended the 153rd Annual Meetings and Exhibitions, the association said.
LaPierre was found responsible in February in a civil trial in New York for misusing millions of dollars of the organization’s money to pay for an extravagant lifestyle that included exotic getaways and trips on private planes and superyachts. LaPierre resigned as executive vice president and CEO on the eve of the trial.
Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The jury ordered LaPierre to repay nearly $4.4 million to the NRA, while the organization’s retired finance chief, Wilson Phillips, owed $2 million. The lobbying group failed to properly manage its assets, omitted or misrepresented information on its tax returns and violated whistleblower protections under New York law, jurors concluded.
After reporting a $36 million deficit in 2018, fueled largely by undue spending, the NRA scaled back long-standing programs that had been central to its mission, including training and education, recreational shooting, and law enforcement initiatives. .
LaPierre’s trial highlighted the leadership, culture and finances of the more than 150-year-old organization that has become a powerful influence on federal law and presidential elections.
John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for stricter gun control, in a statement called Hamlin “a longtime insider,” adding that “the chaotic infighting and spiral of destruction NRA’s financial situation shows no signs of stopping.”
