The National Rifle Association (NRA) announced Friday that longtime CEO and executive vice president Wayne LaPierre will step down at the end of this month, ending an era at one of the nation's most influential lobbying groups.
“It is with great pride in everything we have accomplished that I announce my resignation from the NRA,” LaPierre said in a statement. “I have been a card member of this organization for most of my adult life and will never stop supporting the NRA and the fight to protect Second Amendment freedoms. My passion burns deeper than ever.”
The 74-year-old cited health reasons for his resignation. Here's what you need to know:
Mr. LaPierre faces significant legal battles
Mr. LaPierre's resignation announcement came just days before he and other executives go to trial in a New York civil suit in which they are accused of extorting millions of dollars from the organization for personal gain.
New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) alleges that Mr. LaPierre and other executives diverted millions of dollars from the group's philanthropy to lavish personal benefits.
After an 18-month investigation, James said the NRA fostered a “culture of self-handling, mismanagement, and negligent oversight” that cost the group $64 million over three years.
The NRA and Mr. LaPierre deny any wrongdoing. The lawsuit originally called for a complete dissolution of the NRA, but that provision was struck down last year. Mr. James also called for the removal of Mr. LaPierre and another executive.
Mr. LaPierre remains a defendant in the case, and his trial is scheduled to begin Monday.
James is pleased with the news.
New York Attorney General Letitia James arrives at the New York State Supreme Court on Monday, November 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Eduardo Muñoz Alvarez)
In a statement Friday, James welcomed LaPierre's resignation but vowed to continue the case.
“While the end of the Wayne LaPierre era is an important victory for us, we continue to hold accountable individuals.Mr. “It doesn’t absolve us of responsibility,” she said. “We look forward to moving forward with our case and proving our facts in court.”
The trial is expected to last about six weeks, and the organization's future will depend on its outcome.
Lapierre's enduring legacy
Mr. LaPierre has led the NRA for more than 30 years and has been an official since 1977. In that time, the organization has grown from a modest gun safety advocacy group to one of Washington's most powerful lobbying groups.
Having championed legislation in Congress and statehouses across the country, the NRA's political influence has been felt in every major election race, with the group's support deciding or defeating many candidates.
The group also spent hundreds of millions of dollars on legal services and challenged gun laws across the country.
The group's major legal victories include last year's Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, which struck down New York's handgun regulations and A wave of legal challenges to other gun control measures began. The NRA supported the lawsuit.
N.R.A. gradual economic recession
Wayne LaPierre speaks at the National Rifle Association convention on Friday, April 14, 2023, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Daron Cummings)
The organization has faced legal and financial problems in recent years. Aside from the ongoing New York civil lawsuit, fundraising efforts have declined from their recent peak in 2016.
The group's funding and membership numbers have declined sharply in recent years. Lost approximately 500,000 members in 2021-22, according to the gun violence news nonprofit The Trace.
organization Raised $213 million According to the Washington nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, 2022 will reach about half of the 2016 total.
The NRA is struggling to maintain its title as king of the gun lobby as gun owners and activists begin to turn to emerging rival advocacy groups. Deteriorating finances forced the organization to file for bankruptcy in 2021, but a judge ruled it could not proceed.
of The future of the NRA
Mr. LaPierre hasn't been at the top of the NRA since George H.W. Bush was president. The monumental changes that his successor will bring will define the group's future.
Andrew Arulanandam, a longtime NRA executive and general manager of operations, will become the NRA's interim CEO and vice president, the group announced Friday.
“On behalf of the NRA Board of Directors, I would like to thank Wayne LaPierre for his service,” said NRA Chairman Charles Cotton. “Wayne did more to protect Second Amendment freedoms than anyone else.”
“Wayne is an outstanding figure in the fight for constitutional freedoms, but his other talents are just as important. He has built an organization bigger than himself,” he continued. “Under Andrew Arulanandam's leadership, the NRA will continue to grow with renewed energy in our business operations and grassroots advocacy. Our future is bright and secure.”
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