If you’ve been paying attention at all, you’re aware of David Dell’Aquila’s months-long effort to force NRA EVP and CEO Wayne LaPierre out of the Association’s top job. He’s gone so far as to file a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit against the NRA and NRA Foundation alleging fraud in its fundraising practices.
That’s now prompted NRA past president and Florida lobbyist consultant Marion Hammer to feature the Dell’Aquila effort in a fund-raising letter she sent to United Sportsmen of Florida and NRA members today.
The letter also notably blames the decision to move the NRA’s board of directors meeting from Alaska to Virginia on a strategic attack by anti-gunners designed to “to take advantage of Wayne LaPierre, NRA Board members and key NRA staff members” being in the frozen north, far away from the capitol.
Here’s Hammer’s letter:
DATE: August 29, 2019 TO: USF & NRA Members and Friends FROM: Marion P. Hammer USF Executive Director NRA Past President
Are David Dell’Aquila’s gun rights worth $100,000? Worth more than $100 million? Worth whatever it takes to defeat the anti-gun agitators and enemies of the Second Amendment? You’re damned right! Whether he donates money to NRA to fund the fight or not – NRA is fighting for his rights and yours.
And, YES! NRA has just moved its Fall Board meeting from Anchorage, Alaska to the Washington D.C. area at a cost of around $100,000. Why? Keep reading.
Anti-Gun Democrats in Congress have announced that gun control hearings have been scheduled on Capitol Hill. The timing is clearly to take advantage of Wayne LaPierre, NRA Board members and key NRA staff members being in Alaska. If they are in Alaska, it would make it impossible for NRA’s officers and senior staff to be engaged in the fight for your rights in the nation’s capital.
So, it was imperative that the meeting be moved so the officers and staff are fully engaged, with the full Board also there to give support and assistance.
David Dell’Aquila’s gun rights are worth whatever NRA has to spend to protect his gun rights — because his gun rights are the same as YOURS and MINE. Help fund the fight!
Go here: https://donate.nra.org/donate
I just went to NRA’s donation page and made my donation to help Wayne protect David Dell’Aquila’s gun rights and yours and mine. I invite you to do the same thing. Donating is what you can do to help in this critical time. Give as much as you can. https://donate.nra.org/donate
NRA needs your help to save our gun rights. Nobody else can do what NRA does. Does anybody really think any of the dissidents or their leaders get a call from the President of the United States? Do you really think any of them talks to the President, the Vice President or our leaders of the US Congress? Does anybody believe they even have a clue what to do on Capitol Hill? Absolutely not, they can’t even hold Wayne LaPierre’s coat.
It’s time to stop the lies, stop the attacks, stop manufacturing fake documents, stop cutting off your nose to spite your face. It’s time to focus on stopping the anti-gun, anti-freedom, hate-mongering enemies of our rights. https://donate.nra.org/donate
Hey, David Dell’Aquila! you may have abandoned the only organization capable of protecting your rights — shame on you — but nonetheless, we’ve got your back. We’re donating to the fight!
TTAG asked Dell’Aquila for a reaction to Hammer’s broadside and here is his response:
Marion, I have some questions of my own:
How much of the $270,000 in consulting and lobbying fees you were paid by the NRA in 2018 have you contributed back to the Association?
If it’s critical for the NRA’s officers to be in D.C. to combat gun control efforts, why would the board schedule a September meeting in Alaska at the beginning of the fall congressional session, when you knew (or should have known) gun control will be on the agenda a year out from the presidential election?
How many times have you flown on private jets paid for by the Association’s members’ dues? And to what locations did you travel?
Ah yes. Another link to donate to the NRA.
Shall I say it again?
[ahem, cough, cough, stands up with a loud voice]…”Get thee hence, LaPierre. Thou shall not ever see a thin dime from mine pocket, until thy presence be gone forever from the venerable institution of our fathers. Flee, rapscallion! Flee and make room for another who honors the duty for his countrymen!”
Ditto!
No NRA. No NRA Foundation. Not one cent.
Well said, well said my good man.
$300 grand a year and that’s the best this old woman can write?
I thought the same thing. The letter made little to no sense to me, and I am pretty familiar with the situation. They must have fired all the editors and proofreaders at the NRA.
I ain’t buying it…..
Amen.
They aren’t coming back because of Congress. They’re coming back because members see meeting in Alaska as a gross misuse of member monies.
Jackasses.
At first I couldn’t get why they would go to Alaska? Then I realized it. The fishing and hunting and even an ocean alaska cruise that would all be paid for at NRA members expense.
These people are (flame deleted).
Hammer seems a bit…strident in her tone. And her excuse for moving the meeting is, shall we say, MANOOORE! It was changed for optics. A bunch of board members partying with influential donors in the Alaskan wilds, hunting, fishing, getting drunk, the usual. Nor do I much like how Hammer became a high paid “consultant” when her lobbying activities were disclosed to be illegal. Hammer needs to be on the boat to Elba with Wayne.
Cat Lady made a swear, LOL!
Marion Hammer’s lobbying were not found to be illegal Mark N. That is what the Florida Senate said. The fact that she had relied on the Florida Senate’s legal council for whether she needed to file anything else was what caused the problem. She and the NRA now have to update their financial filings is all that came out of it. So nothing but fake news for all those who want to see the NRA destroyed.
Fake news is just piling on. The NRA is already doing a pretty good job of killing itself…as it should.
I keep seeing a lot of critical comments about the NRA. There are things I don’t agree with either. but, how many people type snips here but don’t write the representatives? Whether you are happy with the NRA or not, you should be letting those in power know what you believe is right about protecting the 2A. So long as you complain here and write them there, more power to you.
I’m sure the NRA public relations staff are acutely aware of the deteriorating opinions by their former members.
As a Life Member, I am still a member, and I write to Board Members every day expressing my belief that the NRA will be better served by the firing or resignation of WLP and his minions on the Board. I believe the more communications they receive the greater the pressure.
Sample:
Wayne LaPierre Executive Vice President National Rifle Association
11250 Waples Mill Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Dear Mr. LaPierre:
In acknowledgement of your form letter of June 17, 2019 I am responding as follows:
You wrote that you would never be able to thank me enough for my friendship and especially for my extraordinary commitment to the Second Amendment and the NRA. In all candor, I have not had a personal conversation with you since 1979 except for a couple of brief conversations at meetings of American Association of Political Consultants over 12 years ago. I never considered us friends then, and I certainly do not today.
Regarding my commitment to the Second Amendment, it predated your hiring at the NRA and continues today. My commitment to the NRA is also strong, but only because I consider the organization vital to protecting, and perhaps enhancing what the law considers to be compliant with the Second Amendment.
If you want to thank me, you can do so by resigning your position with the NRA and encouraging your puppet President to also resign. The damage you have done to both the Second Amendment and the NRA cannot be underestimated and cannot be repaired while you are still on the payroll and involved with the association.
It is true that you are not the sole reason for the escalating damage done to the NRA. The NRA Board of Directors are also responsible by their derelictions of responsibilities for governance which would include control of all paid staff, including you, which is why they are being copied on this letter as well as any future letters addressed to you.
If you do not voluntarily resign, they must acknowledge the problem by firing you and several other members of the paid staff. Both they and you need to recognize that you are not the boss of the Board, but rather, the reverse. Ultimately, the Board Members are the elected representatives of the members and they need to understand that as well.
Just so there are no illusions, I understand associations and association management. Prior to 2006 I was the Managing Partner of a Political Consulting Group that represented 12 associations in the state of Illinois and my group worked on hundreds of political campaigns starting with the gubernatorial race in 1975. I have watched associations in operation, and have served of the Board of Directors of three, and as the Chair of one.
I also understand the need to be well-dressed in the political arena, but the price and quantity of suits you purchased seems outrageous. What is more outrageous is that the NRA ended up paying for them. None of my suits, nor any of my employees’ suits were ever paid for by the company. They paid for their suits out of their own pockets. While I am not a tax attorney, I would believe that had we done so, we would have to have included those purchase amounts on their W-2s as income.
Do you understand how purchasing suits in those price ranges have disappointed the average member of the NRA? Those suits and those luxury class trips along with a myriad of other expenses have demotivated many, many working class members from rejoining the NRA and many, many others from continuing to financially support the NRA at the same levels they might otherwise.
I know the NRA is in trouble, but do you know that you are a very large part of that problem? As I have asked in several previous letters, please resign and encourage others that are part of the problem to resign as well, and I will double my contributions to the NRA from what I am currently giving.
Sincerely,
Signature
Membership Number
I just received yet another NRA mailer asking for money. Instead of your (well written, but rather long) letter, I’ll just put a Post-It on the tear-off with my name and former membership number into the envelope tmrw. The Post-It will simply say:
“I’ll resume the donations once LaPierre is gone.”
Easy.
@! ChanceMcall:
I have to believe that you meant: “…cannot be OVER estimated.”
My two senate representatives are Feinstein and Harris. My representative is a pro-gun Republican, and his vote is solid. But he is just one of 7 Republicans among the 53 California representatives.
Surely you’re not referring to the NRA Board members (at least the ones that haven’t fled yet)? Most are widely known to simply trash all incoming messages from members –and who can blame them? Most messages at this point are likely half-literate rage-fueled bullshit (and understandably so), and their job doesn’t require actual representation or accountability so long as they slavishly enable Wayne & their own graft schemes.
You guys going to report on dan crenshaw hanging out with moms demand action back in feb?
Pretty sure they already have; it’s common knowledge that guy has done a complete heel-face turn on gun control. He’s been bought…or maybe it’s the opposite and the NRA can no longer afford him.
Maybe TTAG will, but I don’t see Steven Crowder taking about it. He won’t dare cross that bridge b/c it’s “too nuanced”.
Shall not be infringed.
Eff judicial precedent. It goes against the supremacy clause and “the highest law in the land.”. Is that nuanced enough for you, CROWDER?
Received two NRA fund-raising letters in US Postal mail today. Opened both, stapled the contents of each together, both with a letter from me in 48 type: Nothing. Until Wayne is gone. Placed into two manilla envelopes, addressed and stamped.
Will the NRA care? I hope so.
@LifeSavor:
“Will the NRA care? I hope so.” Probably not.
I wouldn’t say that old Marion was a brown-noser. It’s more like a ring around her neck due to WLP stopping short one day. No, treacherous hag, there will be no more money until the both of you are a distant memory.
Not one more dime until Wayne is gone. Hammer and the rest of the LaPierre faction too.
Crazy cat lady needs to go.
Man that’s lame old lady…save ILLinois and I’ll care!
That LaPierre has the President’s ear is what I’m AFRAID of. There’s a reason Trump thinks red flag laws are OK…
Hear hear. And don’t listen to the FUDDs who will try to tell you the NRA is the only thing standing between you and mass gun confiscation. They’ve backed every piece of major gun control legislation on the books since their inception. I’m not saying they’re controlled opposition, but I am saying there are orgs who put your money to much better use and never talk about “just one more common sense compromise” that the NRA regards as corporate competition and suppress accordingly. Enough said.
To Trump’s credit (I rarely give it anymore), I strongly suspect that he has little to no respect for LaPierre at this point (if he ever did), and he or his staff are likely well aware that Wayne’s political influence has been both massively compromised and been given a terminal diagnosis.
NRA income is so badly flagging at this point, that Wayne isn’t going to be able to convincingly promise campaign money like he used to. His membership is in open revolt, so he won’t be able to sway their votes toward sweet-talking anti-gun Republicans such as Dan Crenshaw (rated AQ in 2018, now a stable boy of Bloomberg) like he used to. He’s unable to do anything but keep leaching off the corpse of the NRA and hope something magically scares gullible gun owners back into the fold. I think that ship has sailed, but again, so long as there’s still money to sponge off the rotting organization, LaPierre has zero incentive to leave without people forcing him to at gun point. Police officers or pissed off gun owners, I really don’t care which anymore.
First of each month until at least November of next year I am donating a years worth of NRA dues to GOA. As gun owners we are under attack by the leftists that now control the Democrat party. GOA seems to make good use of my money and don’t offer to send me cheap Chinese crap for “free.” I may also send money to some individual candidates but no money to the RNC because they dole it out to Republicans without regard to where they stand on “Red Flag” and “Assault Weapons” bans and whatever other crap the left is currently pushing.
Look at Dan Crenshaw, supposedly a 2nd Amendment supporter posing with the Moms Demand Action Front for Bloomberg. If you want to support that dog squeeze then give your money to the RNC, they will be happy to throw some bucks his way!
Molon Labe!
Ok so let me make sure I’ve got this right:
1. NRA has spent tens of millions of dollars on PR and lawyers to do what exactly?
2. They’ve been pissing away $5000+ a month to put an undergrad intern in a luxury apartment? Are we sure that’s not linked to #3?
3. Board members have had multiple sexual harassment suits filed against them, which they settled with membership dues.
4. Wayne’s wife has been getting an ass load of money from pretty shady deals.
5. There is currently a purge ongoing… that has now taken away from *THE* *ACTUAL* *GODDAMNED* *MISSION* you claim to serve!
Did I miss any redeeming values? No? Then go fornicate yourselves and the broken down hags of mares you rode in on with pointy (and preferably barbed) metal sticks!
Also when exactly does my ballot for NRA board come in the mail? Because bet your sorry asses I’m looking hard at ANY incumbents.
Sincerely,
Isaac Block
NRA member
Someplace you’ve never heard of, North Dakota
I am pretty sure the ballots will be in the February issue of whichever NRA magazine you selected.
*Puts finger gun to head and pantomimes shooting self*
Go ahead and red flag me as a danger to myself.
I think there’s another article today addressing your choice of finger gesture.
You can’t do that! You threatened yourself!
I will consider donating to the NRA after a complete audit of the NRA Books for the last ten years (minimum) has been made public. I’ll say it a again – a full public audit of all funds. Public officials who manage public funds are required to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest – that should be a minimum standard here also!
Whiney and Hammer in the slammer. Not One Penny More!
The NRA is doomed.
Firing Wayne is like cutting off a malignant tumor while the cancer (the 36 Old Guard board members – Wayne’s enablers) remain in place getting fat off the power and perks that they possess. Among that POWER is the ability to insure that the new EVP understands that they call the tune. And reap the rewards.
Same Piper, same tune.
She’ll never see it but I responded, “Let’s have an independent audit. Why are you so afraid?
WTF is ” David Dell’Aquila”?
He is Bloombergs cock holster
I’m curious, as members do we have the right to condense our vote( if we have one) and request an independent investigation of the funds being used? Is the nra a non profit? If so the rules governing it may apply . If something has a defect it needs to be taken apart diagnosed and repaired.
This will make the nra look bad in Congress but I believe once repaired and restored to the original mission. It could be stronger than ever before.
As a group we could fund a legal action with posb a sympethic law firm who could be funded by US! Focus our money on forcing them to resign or be held accountable?
Can we do this ? Form a group create a cou and defend Our Organization for what it once stood for.
If we wait too long we may loose it all
Soros & ilk have to be loving you whining snowflakes. Their 5th column project apparently is working.
Maybe. But we refuse to be fleeced under promise of defense of our human rights for profit of the few on the top. We could overlook the misuse of our money if we got some positive results. But WLP actively recommends gun control while pocketing our hard earned donations and memberships dues.
I am NRA. How can we, members get our house in order?
How about no?
I joined the NRA when I had to get a Illinois FOID card back in 1972. Became a lifer soon after then a RSO and Pistol instructor. I’m committed to the organization long term but
WLP can’t be the only qualified person to run the organization. A good ED won’t come cheap
but the optics are bad for us troops and optics are important when dealing with the grass roots of a organization. If they don’t understand
that what other balls are they dropping?
Where can one find the operating expenses of the NRA, if I send a 100 buck donation what %
goes to overhead? Millions of us want answers.
I’ve been called twice asking for money. I told them not a dime till LaPierre is gone, and to be put on their do not call list. Then blocked the number. FYI, I’m a Patron Lifer.
They quit sending me requests (begging) in pre paid postage envelopes cause I send them all back with my membership number highlighted and NO MORE written in large marker print. They have to pay for their own junk mail. The last two weren’t pre paid . just went into recycle.
I believe as a life member change is due for the N.R.A to succeed in the future.A better accounting of where our money is being spent.The most important battle is coming when the house reconvines with their anti gun agenda in full view.I’m sure myself and other members want to be assured the organization will carry the fight full bore to these anti gun politicians.That would be money well spent.
Although I support the NRA 100%, he has a valid question as to how they spend the dues and why the meeting was sceduled when and where it was. I’m glad they did change location though. I always question how our funds are being used with anybody I donate to. I don’t really know that guys agenda but his question is legitimate.