Well, if there was one thing the liberal media probably drooled over, it was the drama that unfurled at the National Rifle Association’s Annual Meeting in Indianapolis this weekend. On Friday, a letter from Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre to the 76-member board detailed, among other things, a reported move to extort him into resigning by soon-to-be-ex-President Oliver North. The issue centered on alleged financial mishandlings, with North adding in a letter that such allegation if proven to be true, could threaten the nonprofit status of one of the nation’s oldest civil rights organizations. Katie touched upon this over the weekend:
North wrote the letter.
"Please know I hoped to be with you as NRA President endorsed for reelection. I am now informed that will not happen," Childress read. "In the spring of 2018 NRA EVP and CEO Wayne LaPierre urged me to retire from my job at Fox News to become the president and I accepted a salaried position with Ackerman McQueen so I agreed to do so in order help build the NRA membership and resources. After resuming office as NRA President in September 2018 I was confronted by NRA board members and donors who expressed concern about the amount of money the NRA was paying to the Brewer law firm. Many times, I and others (unintelligible) outside the independent office of these matters. We were rebuffed repeatedly. Then without notice to the board, NRA filed a lawsuit against Ackerman McQueen and in addition, a series of articles in the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times were allegations of financial mismanagement by senior NRA officers. If true, the NRA non-profit status is threatened."
North announced shortly after this development broke that he would not be seeking a second term as president and was seen leaving the annual meeting Friday night. He was not present at the members meeting held today. We won’t go into the drama. You can read about that yourself but simply searching the multiple stories doled out by the mainstream press about it.
The Washington Free Beacon’s Stephen Gutowski, who is also a friend of the Triggered Podcast, remained in Indy for the meeting, which was quickly gaveled into an executive session, which removed non-board members from the room. The closed-door session has entered its eighth hour. Gutowski was able to ask board members, such as former NRA President David Keene and former Congressman Allen West (R-FL), some questions as they left the room. West said this meeting could last all day and into tomorrow. Other than that, however, Gutowski has been hard pressed to find any other member who was willing to speak with him about what the heck is going on:
After swearing in new and reelected board members and presenting the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award to Tulsa Police Sgt. Michael Parsons, NRA first vice president Richard Childress began to deliver his report to the board. However, as Childress started to describe an attempt by him and NRA president Oliver North to perform a special audit of the organization, he was interrupted by a board member who requested the board go into a closed-door executive session. The board then voted nearly unanimously to go into executive session.
The board meeting is only open to NRA staff or members and no electronic recording devices, cell phones, or laptops are allowed inside. At the beginning of the meeting, about 70 of the 76 board members were in attendance as well as another couple dozen NRA members and staff. But once the executive session was agreed to, everyone who wasn't a board member or select staff and legal counsel was required to leave the room. About 30 of those required to leave have lingered outside the meeting waiting to go back inside if and when the executive session is adjourned and the meeting resumes normal order.
They could be waiting a long time.
[…]
While it's impossible to know for sure what is being discussed inside the closed-door meeting, the leadership of the gun-rights group has been embroiled in a series of controversies and infighting. Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president, accused Oliver North, president of the NRA, of attempting to extort him into resigning from his position or he would release damaging information about LaPierre's expenditures. North shot back by forming a special committee to investigate recent accusations of financial mismanagement by LaPierre and others, as reported in the New Yorker, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal.
Wayne LaPierre, @NRA CEO and executive vice president, unanimously re-elected in executive session at the group's board meeting in Indianapolis.
— Danny Hakim (@dannyhakim) April 29, 2019
I've asked several board members about this report of Wayne Lapierre being unanimously reelection and nobody wants to confirm or deny it. https://t.co/FQktXFNCbP
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 29, 2019
Now I've been told not to ask board members or officers any questions when they leave the session.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 29, 2019
This warning was given to me after I asked a number of board members who were wandering outside the meeting and NRA first vice president Richard Childress whether they'd confirm the New York Times report that Wayne Lapierre was unanimously reelected or not.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 29, 2019
It's really confusing to me why the reelection news would be leaked to the New York Times if nobody here at the meeting, the people who presumably just took this vote, wants to talk about it.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 29, 2019
I guess it could be some sort of desire to make an official announcement but the news is already out there. Somebody in that meeting leaked it. So what gives?
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 29, 2019
I guess it could be some sort of desire to make an official announcement but the news is already out there. Somebody in that meeting leaked it. So what gives?
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 29, 2019
Hearing from a third party that the entire slate of NRA directors has been elected unanimously, including Wayne Lapierre. Aslo, hearing Carolyn Meadows will be the new NRA president.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 29, 2019
Still no official word from anyone at the NRA.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 29, 2019
The NRA board meeting is about to enter its 8th hour. Almost all of that time has been spent in a closed-door executive session.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 29, 2019
Yet, we’re now hearing that EVP Wayne LaPierre has been re-elected by a unanimous vote by the board. Again, these are reports. Gutowski, at the time, wasn't able to get confirmation and the first outlet to report on it was The New York Times. We’ll keep you updated.
The NRA board meeting is about to enter its 8th hour. Almost all of that time has been spent in a closed-door executive session.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 29, 2019
UPDATE: It's official:
National Rifle Association Executive Vice President/CEO Wayne LaPierre was re-elected unanimously and unopposed by the NRA Board of Directors at their meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., April 29, 2019.
Carolyn Meadows was elected NRA President; Charles L. Cotton, First Vice President; and Willes Lee, Second Vice President.
Also retaining their offices are NRA Secretary/General Counsel John Frazer; and Craig Spray, Treasurer.
Chris W. Cox was re-appointed as Executive Director for the Institute for Legislative Action; and Joseph De Bergalis, Jr., Executive Director, General Operations.
All NRA officers were elected unanimously and unopposed.
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