Over the past several years, the National Rifle Association has been embroiled in controversy, corruption, and confusion. It has been disconnected from its once loyal membership, composed of millions of hardworking Americans dedicated to protecting their Second Amendment rights.
After a number of court battles, transparency and changes to the organization's board, the NRA is finally taking a turn for the better.
At the annual meetings in Atlanta this year, former Marine, CEO and Executive Vice President Doug Hamlin told me he is dedicated to cleaning out corruption and refocusing the vital organization back on its mission.
"The NRA has been around for a long, long time and it’s an essential part of American culture, preserving American culture and promoting that into the future and protecting the rights of Americans as free citizens in this country," I asked Hamlin. "I’ve done a lot of talking throughout the years and recently with industry leaders and members, and they feel the same exact way. They think the NRA is an essential part of American culture, but when I ask them about the current state of the NRA, they come up with words like corruption, mismanagement and being untrustworthy. So, to those who have, maybe left, who were annual members or who were Life Members who haven't been coming to meetings, but still believe in the mission of the NRA, what can you say to them about what’s been happening to regain that trust?”
"I was elected May 20, 2024. My platform was that we were going to rebuild the trust. We wanted to rebuild the trust of the members, the donors, the industry and our staff," Hamlin said, adding there will be "no malfeasance on his watch."
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Hamlin stressed accountability, new leadership and highlighted how the NRA is working to protect Second Amendment rights all over the country, especially against hostile state and local governments.
“I was out in California just before Thanksgiving. I did a town hall there and when I was walking into the meeting I heard some say that the NRA doesn’t do anything for California gun owners. And then Dan Reid, who’s our state and local managing director [of NRA-ILA], and I were able to communicate that we spend more money litigating in California than any other state in the union. And the two biggest cases going out there are Duncan and Rhode. Those are two NRA cases. And people in the room really didn’t know that," Hamlin said.
Watch the full interview below:
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