What You Need to Know About the State of the NRA as New York Trial Continues Today

Since 2018, the NRA has Suffered a More Than 25 Percent Decrease in Membership, 60 Percent Decrease in Revenue From Membership Dues and Contributions

Today, a judge will begin weighing potential penalties against the NRA after a jury found the organization and its officers liable on nearly every count in the Attorney General of The State of New York v. NRA trial, which centered on allegations by New York Attorney General Letitia James that NRA leaders, including CEO Wayne LaPierre, improperly diverted millions of dollars from the non-profit to benefit executives.

"This trial has already made clear that Wayne LaPierre and NRA leaders thought 'not-for-profit' meant no one but the NRA leaders themselves should profit," said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. "No matter the outcome at this stage, the trial has signified the end of an era for an organization that has caused irreparable damage and created a country awash in guns where no one - including the former president - is safe. As the NRA's chaotic infighting and financial doom spiral shows no signs of stopping, the gun safety movement is stronger than ever."

Here's what you need to know about the state of the NRA:

• The ruling that the NRA failed to properly administer its charitable assets and that its leaders diverted millions of dollars from the organization was a catastrophic start to the 2024 election season for an organization whose election spending has already cratered.

• A new exhibit filed last week (p.196) shows that since 2018, the NRA has seen a more than 25 percent decrease in members (p.215) and a nearly 60 percent decrease in revenue from membership dues and contributions (p.214).

• Nearly four months after longtime CEO Wayne LaPierre resigned, the NRA board announced Doug Hamlin, a longtime NRA executive under Wayne LaPierre, as its new executive vice president.
  • The board also elected former Republican congressman and longtime NRA board member Bob Barr as president.

• In an ABC News interview last month, NRA President Bob Barr was asked, "One of your opponents, the organization Everytown [for Gun Safety] said because of the turmoil inside the NRA 'the gun lobby has never been weaker.' Is the NRA weak?"
  • Barr's answer: "No, the NRA is…You look at. Yeah, I suppose our opponents could take this one slice at a time, or one issue."
  • ABC News' Jay O'Brien responds: "It's a pretty big slice. Financial impropriety. A civil judgment."

• Despite electing new leadership, it appears that in-fighting at the organization is still ongoing:
  • Newly elected board member Jeff Knox recently complained that new president Bob Barr "is acting under the advice of [former NRA President Charles] Cotton and [NRA Attorney Bill] Brewer" and has kept Cotton as chair of the Audit Committee, which Knox called "an invitation for the judge to come down hard on the Association and the Board."
  • Last week, newly reelected dissident board member and Kansas state court judge Phil Journey asked Judge Joel Cohen to remove Barr and the NRA's outside law firm, Brewer Attorneys and Counselors, accusing them of trying to keep reformers off of key committees.

• In recent years, the NRA has slashed spending on core programs popular with members and spent tens of millions of dollars on outside lawyers instead. It's no wonder that NRA members have abandoned ship in droves, and it's hard to imagine that this ruling will convince them to flock back.

• During the New York trial, the Washington Post reported on the NRA's various troubles that will leave them "staggering" into the 2024 elections.
• In April, the NRA settled in the District of Columbia's suit, which accused the NRA Foundation of improperly funneling millions of dollars to the NRA.
  

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