Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

soothsayer

(38,601 posts)
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 08:37 AM Aug 2020

Summary of the worst of the alleged NRA abuses. Wowza


?s=21


igorvolsky
@igorvolsky
·
Aug 6, 2020
1/ I just finished reading @NewYorkStateAG’s 169 page lawsuit against @NRA and I’m shocked beyond belief at the level of corruption, lawlessness, and self-dealing.

What follows is a THREAD that highlights the very worst abuses alleged by @TishJames.

Buckle in.


2/ To sum it up, LaPierre & his lieutenants spent millions of dollars in membership dues paid by @NRA members who were told their #2A rights were at risk... on lavish trips & vacations, kickbacks and sweetheart deals... all in violation of NRA rules & IRS requirements

3/ According to the lawsuit, LaPierre spent *at least* $1.3 million chartering private flights between 2016 and 2018 for himself and his family members.

Turns out, he wasn’t even present on many of those flights!

4/ From May 2015 to April 2019, @NRA incurred over 1 million dollars in expenses for private flights when LaPierre was not a passenger.

5/ In October 2016, LaPierre authorized a private flight for his wife to fly alone from Madison, WI, to Kearney, NE.

Asked why she did not use a commercial airline, LaPierre testified “I think it was probably easier to fly private, more convenient.”

Cost of flight: $8,800.

6/ LaPierre and his family visited the Bahamas by private air charter on at least 8 occasions, at a cost of $500,000+ to @NRA.

On many of those trips, LaPierre and his family were gifted the use of a 107-foot yacht owned by @NRA vendor.

7/ @NRA rails against “Hollywood elite” & celebrities, but LaPierre testified he visits the Bahamas in December to attend a “celebrity retreat” organized by an individual who also happens to be a principal stakeholder in businesses that have business relationships with NRA!

8/ When LaPierre attends these retreats, which are normally held annually in the Bahamas in December, he stays at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island.

9/ But don’t worry, LaPierre often visits the Bahamas in the summer as well! During these trips, he stays on a 108-foot yacht named Illusions.

It has 4 staterooms, a 16-foot jet boat, and 2 jet skis.

LaPierre described Illusions as “a big, big yacht” w/ a crew & a chef

10/ LaPierre has never disclosed his use of the yacht on @NRA Financial Disclosure Questionnaires that he, as an officer and ex officio director of the NRA, must submit to the NRA Secretary annually.

Oops?

11/ LaPierre testified he has never received a gift of value in excess of $250 from an @NRA contractor or employee of an NRA contractor.

But of course LaPierre’s use of the yacht constituted a gift from an NRA contractor in excess of $250 requiring disclosure under NRA policy.

12/ LaPierre also testified that he has stayed on Illusions during two European trips for the purpose of recruiting ~celebrities~ for @NRA.

13/ @NRA uses a dedicated travel agency. But they’re not good enough for LaPierre.

@NewYorkStateAG's lawsuit reveals LaPierre uses his own travel consultant -- and pays them exorbitant fees (with @NRA membership dues of course).

14/ In 2014, the fixed fee for LaPierre's travel agent’s services was $15,000 a month.

In May 2015, LaPierre’s Travel Consultant’s monthly fee increased to $19,000.

15/ From August 2014 to January 2020, @NRA paid LaPierre’s Travel Consultant more than **$13.5 million**

In 2018, the NRA paid LaPierre’s Travel Consultant $2,630,531.71

In the first six months of 2019 alone, the NRA paid LaPierre’s Travel Consultant $1,007,597.80

I mean...

16/ If that wasn’t enough, @NRA also reimburses LaPierre for exorbitant personal expenses.

Between 2013 and 2017, LaPierre was reimbursed for more than $1.2 million in expenses, including...

17/ Some of LaPierre's personal expenses reimbursed by @NRA:

- $65,000 for Christmas gifts for his staff, donors, friends.

- $648.55 in gifts from Neiman Marcus to that highly paid travel consultant

- $1,590 in Christmas gifts to the co-founder of Ackerman

18/ Each of these gifts was substantially in excess of the $25 limit permitted by the IRS for business gifts. To say the least.

19/ Fancy hotel rooms for family members were also paid for by @NRA:

- $12,332.75 for his niece’s 8-night stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in Dallas, TX.

- In 2016 and 2017, LaPierre was reimbursed over $38,000 in expenses for his niece’s airfare & lodging


20/ Between 2009 and 2017, LaPierre expensed over $100,000 in membership fees for a golf club located in the Washington D.C. area.

21/ LaPierre has a separate budget to pay consultants.

It won't surprise you that a lot of these consultant contracts were processed & paid for without any written contracts in place...


22/ Oh and how well those “consultants” made out!

@NRA treasurer Woody Phillips entered into an independent consulting agreement to continue to be paid by the NRA following his retirement.

NRA paid Phillips $30,000 per month for 5 years for “consulting services”

23/ Spoiler: Phillips provided no actual consulting services to the NRA under this agreement.

The lawsuit concludes, “Payments made to Phillips under this agreement are ex gratia payments and a waste of charitable assets.”

24/ Josh Powell, @NRA’s former Chief of Staff and the Executive Vice President of Operations, convinced an @NRA contractor to hire his wife...and then passed through her entire monthly fee of $30,000 -- yes, per month -- to @NRA!

25/ You won’t be surprised to learn that Powell not only disregarded his disclosure obligations under @NRA’s conflict-of interest policy, but took affirmative steps to hide the conflict from the NRA officer he was supposed to disclose it to.

26/ In 2017, Powell asked another @NRA vendor to add his father, a photographer, to its photographer rotation for NRA events.

The vendor complied with Powell’s request and proceeded to pass through at least $93,000 in expenses for his father’s services to the NRA.


27/ Powell is a piece of work. In 2018, @NRA settled a sexual discrimination claim made against Powell’s for $89K

A couple months later, Powell was accused of sexual harassment

LaPierre didn’t launch an investigation or take any disciplinary action regarding Powell’s behavior.


28/ LaPierre’s Senior Assistant joined @NRA with a criminal record of embezzling from a non-profit where she had worked in the 1980s.

29/ At some point in the 2000s, LaPierre's assistant was accused of diverting money from @NRA to use for personal expenses.

Her corporate card was taken away, BUT she continued to have access to and use of other NRA employees’ corporate credit cards!

(What could go wrong?)


30/ In 2012, LaPierre’s Senior Assistant had @NRA pay for $18,000 in expenses incurred in connection with her son’s wedding in Minnesota.

These wedding expenses never were reimbursed by LaPierre’s Senior Assistant to @NRA...

31/ LaPierre’s Senior Assistant also loves black cars.

On a single day, she incurred over $1,100 in black car bills for her husband’s trips to and from airports.

On another occasion, she $1,300 in black car bills to transport him from New York to Washington D.C.

32/ @NRA’s biggest vendor was Ackerman McQueen. NRA reported paying Ackerman $20,324,364, in 2017, and $31,994,168, in 2018 for “public relations and advertising” services.

Over this period, Ackerman did not transmit receipts or other docs supporting its expenses

33/ @NRA agreed to an arrangement w/ Ackerman McQueen whereby it paid invoices with minimal detail and little supporting documentation


34/ Ackerman also paid for a variety of unrelated out of pocket expenses and passed those expenses through to @NRA.

The NRA used this arrangement to conceal expenditures by NRA executives—including LaPierre —many of which were personal or lacked documentation required by IRS

35/ Ackerman billed @NRA for out of pocket expenses by submitting non particularized invoices that aggregated the expenses into a lump sum amount and provided no details on the nature or purpose of the expenses


36/ The effect of the pass-through expense arrangement with Ackerman McQueen was that these expenses would be paid for by @NRA without written approvals, receipts, or supporting business purpose documentation

37/ With respect to LaPierre, the false reporting exposed @NRA to tax and penalty liability and permitted him to file false personal tax returns with the IRS.

38/ Some examples of these pass-throughs:

- Pay for meals for NRA executives at an upscale Italian restaurant

- @NRA directed Ackerman to purchase memberships to a members-only cigar bar

- Ackerman paid, and @NRA reimbursed, more than $250,000 to LaPierre’s Travel Consultant

39/ At @NRA conventions, Ackerman paid for LaPierre’s family to stay at a luxury private hotel, apart from the host hotel at which NRA employees & board members were staying.

These costs were billed to the NRA as pass-through expenses

40/ LaPierre directed Ackerman McQueen to pay for expenses related to NASCAR events, country music events, and even medical visits, and bill those through to @NRA.

41/ The Executive Director of Advancement also took part in the corruption, frequently staying at luxury hotels like the Four Seasons, the St. Regis, the Ritz Carlton, and the Beverly Hills Hotel.

He routinely stayed in suites costing over $1,500 a night.

42/ LaPierre’s wife would incur thousands of dollars of expenses for hair & makeup, which were billed through Ackerman McQueen as out of pocket expenses.

May 2016 and May 2017: @NRA paid one artist $16,359 for 3 events for LaPierre’s wife.


43/ LaPierre regularly directed @NRA to pay officers, directors, and former employees millions of dollars in “consulting” agreements without Board approval

44/ In late 2016, @NRA’s then Executive Director of General Operations was terminated

NRA security escorted him out

After, LaPierre directed @NRA to enter into an agreement under which the NRA agreed to pay the former Executive Director $60,000 a month over a 2-year period

45/ LaPierre testified that he was under the impression that it was a severance agreement, and that he authorized it out of concern that the former Executive Director might disparage the @NRA.

46/ @NRA paid a former NRA employee $30,000 a month as a fundraising consultant.

The former employee admitted that he did not keep accurate records of fundraising he conducted. He agreed that his position was not subject to outcomes or any form of metrics

47/ @NRA entered into a post-employment agreement with its Managing Director of Affinity and Licensing

The individual retired from @NRA in January 2016 but was still paid a full year’s salary, $630,000, AND paid by @NRA after his retirement:

$713,000 in 2017
$535,000 in 2018

48/ LaPierre also has his own post-retirement contract.

It provides for payments in excess of $1 million per year after LaPierre’s tenure as EVP ends due to retirement or losing a re-election bid.


49/ LaPierre testified that he did not know whether his post-employment contract was disclosed to @NRA the NRA Board

50/ @NRA was obligated to continue to pay LaPierre for years after he lost reelection or retired and *at a higher rate than his compensation as Executive Vice President*

51/ LaPierre effectively dominates and controls @NRA Board as a whole through his control of business, patronage and special payment opportunities for board members.

He paid at least 5 board members for services that were (likely) never rendered


52/ LaPierre effectively ousted former @NRA President Oliver North after he began to review @NRA’s expenses and business operations.

Board members who publicly expressed concern about @NRA’s actions were denied the committee assignments they requested and some resigned










































47 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Summary of the worst of the alleged NRA abuses. Wowza (Original Post) soothsayer Aug 2020 OP
My jaw has dropped.... K&R secondwind Aug 2020 #1
The NRA has always been very secretive Chainfire Aug 2020 #2
I wonder if Joe/Jill SixGun knows and if so, cares? Probably not because...gunz CurtEastPoint Aug 2020 #3
Whoda thunk people who turn a blind eye to school shootings... Girard442 Aug 2020 #4
Exactly this. hunter Aug 2020 #37
Funneling 'expenses' through the ad agency C_U_L8R Aug 2020 #5
Before everyone gets whipped up in a celebratory lather melm00se Aug 2020 #6
This isn't a courtroom, and DU isn't a jury. kcr Aug 2020 #45
No it's not but I have been melm00se Aug 2020 #46
They are all grifters and thieves malaise Aug 2020 #7
Gunz, God, and Graft,... the NRA living very large on membership fees. magicarpet Aug 2020 #8
How much are those NRA dues? Cracklin Charlie Aug 2020 #9
$35? soothsayer Aug 2020 #11
Probably from donations from the gun industry. Aristus Aug 2020 #12
$45 At The Bottom ProfessorGAC Aug 2020 #38
Tish James said all of the assets have been drained there's no money left soothsayer Aug 2020 #10
NRA Agreed to Buy $6.5M Dallas Mansion for CEO Wayne LaPierre in Wake of Parkland Mass Shooting: WSJ UpInArms Aug 2020 #13
This seems to be what set the wheels in motion louis-t Aug 2020 #19
Holy Moley! Alliepoo Aug 2020 #14
Wow! SheltieLover Aug 2020 #15
K&R! nt B Stieg Aug 2020 #16
They should gather a few thousand NRA members and louis-t Aug 2020 #17
A grifter is gonna grift RainCaster Aug 2020 #18
Great racket while it lasted. Live high on the hog with masses of willing marks to keep the Cognitive_Resonance Aug 2020 #20
But, what does the NRA actually DO for it's members? solara Aug 2020 #21
They stopped Obama from taking their guns away IronLionZion Aug 2020 #25
Hee hee solara Aug 2020 #28
I Thought Of That Earlier! ProfessorGAC Aug 2020 #39
It started months ago before the pandemic IronLionZion Aug 2020 #40
One Trick Ponies! ProfessorGAC Aug 2020 #41
I wonder Traildogbob Aug 2020 #22
will Russians be invoked? Bondor Aug 2020 #23
That's what I was wondering as well poli-junkie Aug 2020 #33
Not shocked at all. KG Aug 2020 #24
Do you think NRA members will donate less or more after this revelation? IronLionZion Aug 2020 #26
And, the death of children by firearms is the price of freedom. Mouthing that NCjack Aug 2020 #27
Nothing to see here billh58 Aug 2020 #29
Wow! Ollie North as a good guy. The world is crazy. Sneederbunk Aug 2020 #30
Tish James said when she won in Novemeber 2018, she would be investigating the NRA. 2-years later iluvtennis Aug 2020 #31
The NRA used to be for sportsmen, hunters and gun safety. keithbvadu2 Aug 2020 #32
You'll enjoy this I think soothsayer Aug 2020 #35
Good links about NRA keithbvadu2 Aug 2020 #36
That's quite the party fund they had there. Yoiks. nt crickets Aug 2020 #34
Donny's very finest Blue Owl Aug 2020 #42
Wow. Xolodno Aug 2020 #43
The guns of August Chrisdutch Aug 2020 #44
WTH kind of travel consultant makes $13.5 million Mersky Aug 2020 #47

Girard442

(6,059 posts)
4. Whoda thunk people who turn a blind eye to school shootings...
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 09:15 AM
Aug 2020

...would turn out to be dirtbags in lotsa other ways?

C_U_L8R

(44,891 posts)
5. Funneling 'expenses' through the ad agency
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 09:17 AM
Aug 2020

Just like Trump does with his shell companies. They figure auditors lose track and give up after a few layers. It's been their money laundering scheme for ages, but it seems prosecutors are onto these cute tricks. It all foreshadows Trump's inevitable day with justice.

melm00se

(4,973 posts)
6. Before everyone gets whipped up in a celebratory lather
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 09:18 AM
Aug 2020

bear in mind that, at this time, these are only accusations and the defendants has not raised a defense.

It will be interesting to see the NRA's response to these assertions.

melm00se

(4,973 posts)
46. No it's not but I have been
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 08:51 AM
Aug 2020

here long enough to see DU's end zone celebration turn to abject despair when the desired outcome is not what really happens.

Cracklin Charlie

(12,904 posts)
9. How much are those NRA dues?
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 09:37 AM
Aug 2020

Damn, the amount of money that was just given away to former employees is staggering. How many former employees had 30-60k/month agreements?

Where did all that high life money come from?

Good grief, the corruption...

Aristus

(66,077 posts)
12. Probably from donations from the gun industry.
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 09:51 AM
Aug 2020

The NRA annual dues couldn't produce that ocean of cash.

Hell, the NRA only charged dues to its membership so they would feel like they were getting something of value.

ProfessorGAC

(64,413 posts)
38. $45 At The Bottom
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 04:06 PM
Aug 2020

There are special life time memberships that cost >$1 million.
But they have over 5 million members, so even if all were at the bottom tier, it's $225 million per year.
I know there's a lot of theft going on in the OP, but we have to remember they're broke.
I think that $225 million a year covers this, since the thing goes back 15-20 years.
Might not leave much left, but that causes going broke!

soothsayer

(38,601 posts)
10. Tish James said all of the assets have been drained there's no money left
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 09:40 AM
Aug 2020

?s=21

Sandi Bachom
@sandibachom
I was at the presser it was pretty bad. When Reporter asked Tish James why she had to dissolve the organization what about the members and she said all of the assets have been drained there’s no money left

Tish James said all of the assets have been drained there’s no money left

UpInArms

(51,252 posts)
13. NRA Agreed to Buy $6.5M Dallas Mansion for CEO Wayne LaPierre in Wake of Parkland Mass Shooting: WSJ
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 09:55 AM
Aug 2020
NRA Agreed to Buy $6.5M Dallas Mansion for CEO Wayne LaPierre in Wake of Parkland Mass Shooting: WSJ

The National Rifle Association previously agreed to pay $6.5 million to buy a mansion for CEO Wayne LaPierre, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

A top NRA executive, then-Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Wilson H. Phillips Jr., signed a document in May 2018 promising the gun lobby would contribute $6.5 million for 99% ownership of a company formed to buy a Dallas mansion for LaPierre, according to a copy of the document reviewed by the Journal. The NRA and its then-outside advertising firm, Ackerman McQueen, told the Journal that the planning to buy the home started in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, mass shooting, when LaPierre had concerns about his safety. The deal ultimately fell through.


https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/nra-agreed-to-buy-6-5m-dallas-mansion-for-ceo-wayne-lapierre-in-wake-of-parkland-mass-shooting-wsj/

louis-t

(23,199 posts)
19. This seems to be what set the wheels in motion
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 10:34 AM
Aug 2020

for the investigation. The optics were horrible. I cannot believe this was allowed to go on for so many years.

Alliepoo

(2,195 posts)
14. Holy Moley!
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 09:55 AM
Aug 2020

That’s a big bunch of million and millions and millions of dollars being paid to shady people by shady people in a shady organization. Mind boggling.

louis-t

(23,199 posts)
17. They should gather a few thousand NRA members and
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 10:30 AM
Aug 2020

drive Wayne (in a black car, of course) to where the members are gathered and drop him off. He would have some 'splainin' to do.

RainCaster

(10,676 posts)
18. A grifter is gonna grift
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 10:33 AM
Aug 2020

Damn, these guys are as corrupt as DFT.

No wonder the NY DA is taking them to task.

Cognitive_Resonance

(1,546 posts)
20. Great racket while it lasted. Live high on the hog with masses of willing marks to keep the
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 10:35 AM
Aug 2020

good times machine fueled. All they had to do was keep the rubes in a constant lather with a steady diet of fear.

solara

(3,832 posts)
21. But, what does the NRA actually DO for it's members?
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 10:36 AM
Aug 2020

What do the Members of NRA get for all their dues?

Do they actually need the NRA in order to purchase weapons? It is clearly looking like the NRA is as big a hoax as #TraitorTrump himself.

The NRA received millions and millions of dollars from their members over many years.. that's A LOT of dues. One wonders if the "members' even know what the return was supposed to be.

Interesting that there is nothing in that file that mentions any of the corrupt NRA 'officials' staying at TrumpProperties


ProfessorGAC

(64,413 posts)
39. I Thought Of That Earlier!
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 04:08 PM
Aug 2020

Then I saw your post!
And, just wait; the "Biden's gonna take your guns" is starting in 15 minutes!

IronLionZion

(45,256 posts)
40. It started months ago before the pandemic
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 04:25 PM
Aug 2020

When Biden was campaigning in person at factories there would be RW trolls getting in his face about taking their guns away.

ProfessorGAC

(64,413 posts)
41. One Trick Ponies!
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 04:48 PM
Aug 2020

It was only 3.5 years ago, that there was proof (their own guns) that Obama didn't even try to take them away!
In 3.5 years, they have gone completely blank on the fact that they still have their guns.
Really, they only have 3 tricks: racism, guns, dead non-babies.

Traildogbob

(8,567 posts)
22. I wonder
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 10:40 AM
Aug 2020

Trump is a thousand percent for Wayne and the NRA. Sure, move to Texas to avoid prosecution, like Donny fled New York to head to another criminal haven like Texas, Florida. Like if you rape children in Colorado, move to Mar-a-Logo, sanctuary cities.

Bondor

(63 posts)
23. will Russians be invoked?
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 10:48 AM
Aug 2020

How about that Russian money funneled through NRA for Repug coffers? will that be brought up?

poli-junkie

(991 posts)
33. That's what I was wondering as well
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 11:48 AM
Aug 2020

It would be interesting to see any suspicious money transfers from those sketchy banks like The Bank of Cyprus or Deutsche Bank or Alpa Bank into NRA’s coffers in early 2016.

IronLionZion

(45,256 posts)
26. Do you think NRA members will donate less or more after this revelation?
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 11:15 AM
Aug 2020
NRA members are not known for being rational.

NCjack

(10,279 posts)
27. And, the death of children by firearms is the price of freedom. Mouthing that
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 11:20 AM
Aug 2020

message makes him entitled to a great compensation package. Pleasures have to be sufficient to dull the mind.

iluvtennis

(19,756 posts)
31. Tish James said when she won in Novemeber 2018, she would be investigating the NRA. 2-years later
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 11:38 AM
Aug 2020

we have this lawsuit. NRA is going down in New York and won't be operating there any longer. Maybe they'll reinvent themsleves and go to Texas as the illegal occupant opined on Thursday.

Bravo AG Leticia James!

keithbvadu2

(36,360 posts)
32. The NRA used to be for sportsmen, hunters and gun safety.
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 11:40 AM
Aug 2020

The NRA used to be for sportsmen, hunters and gun safety.

Now it has become an industry owned shill for the sale of more guns and the enrichment of its leaders.

Xolodno

(6,330 posts)
43. Wow.
Sat Aug 8, 2020, 12:37 AM
Aug 2020

In all of that, I was wondering how do these guys provide any services for their members. Then it occurred to me, they have some schmuck sending a pdf newsletter via mass email blast. The advertisements probably pay that cost and then some. They may even have articles sent to them for free from their membership.

Then I thought about lobbying. And then I realized, they get free media attention for every mass shooting or "D" President. And no Repub would dare go against the NRA...so they just need a shill in a suit.

Add in a conservative leaning Supreme Court...even the need for lawyers is low.

I wonder how much money Wayne has stashed away in Cyprus, Luxembourg, Cayman Islands, Malta, Somoa, etc.

Chrisdutch

(70 posts)
44. The guns of August
Sat Aug 8, 2020, 10:04 PM
Aug 2020

I think if this was written in Russian and sent to Putin he could straighten everything out.

Mersky

(4,969 posts)
47. WTH kind of travel consultant makes $13.5 million
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 11:26 PM
Aug 2020

Last edited Mon Aug 10, 2020, 01:52 AM - Edit history (1)

From one client over six years? 🥜

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Summary of the worst of t...