The troubles and tribulations of the NRA

Two articles of interest this week. One suggests that the indictment of Russian agents with ties to the NRA resulted in a rapid and atypical change in NRA leadership. The other implies that the continued fallout of the collapse of the NRA's "Carry Guard" insurance concept has resulted in a severe financial crunch, such that they may need to shut down some publications.

Did Alleged Russian Spy Maria Butina Cause a Leadership Shake-up at the NRA?

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This changing of the guard—and how it happened—was odd. For fifteen years, the NRA leadership had followed a specific pattern: an officer was elected by the board to serve two consecutive annual terms as second vice president, then two as first vice president, and, finally, two as president. But the Brownell-to-North transition broke this orderly process. North at the time was serving in neither vice president position. And his ascension was a surprise—even to North. The day of the move, North told NRATV, “I didn’t expect this to be happening…This was very sudden.”

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What wasn’t publicly known at the time was that on April 25—two weeks before this seemingly hasty NRA leadership makeover—FBI agents in tactical gear raided the apartment of Maria Butina, a 29-year-old Russian who three months later would be charged by federal prosecutors for allegedly serving as a secret agent for the Russian government in the United States. For years, Butina and her mentor, Alexander Torshin, a Russian official tied to Vladimir Putin, had hooked up with the NRA and other conservative groups, allegedly as part of what the Justice Department called a covert influence operation. Butina, who ran a gun rights group in Russia, and Torshin, who has been accused of money laundering (a charge he denies), had attended NRA events and other right-wing get-togethers, and during the 2016 campaign used their NRA contacts to try to arrange a meeting between Putin and Donald Trump. (It didn’t happen.) During this operation, according to prosecutors, Butina relied upon the assistance of conservative consultant Paul Erickson, her romantic partner and an active NRA member.

The NRA Says It’s in Deep Financial Trouble, May Be ‘Unable to Exist’

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In the new document — an amended complaint filed in U.S. District Court in late July — the NRA says it cannot access financial services essential to its operations and is facing “irrecoverable loss and irreparable harm.” Specifically, the NRA warns that it has lost insurance coverage — endangering day-to-day operations. “Insurance coverage is necessary for the NRA to continue its existence,” the complaint reads. Without general liability coverage, it adds, the “NRA cannot maintain its physical premises, convene off-site meetings and events, operate educational programs … or hold rallies, conventions and assemblies.” The complaint says the NRA’s video streaming service and magazines may soon shut down.

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The lawsuit stems from actions taken by New York financial regulators to halt the sale of an illegal, NRA-branded insurance policy. The NRA actively marketed “Carry Guard,” a policy to reimburse members for legal costs incurred after firing a legal gun. In May, the state of New York found that Carry Guard “unlawfully provided liability insurance to gun owners for certain acts of intentional wrongdoing.” The NRA’s insurance partners agreed to stop selling the policies and pay a $7 million fine.

My take: The NRA is a major part of the problem - but they are also a symptom. If they went away today, other organizations would step up to cover the gap - most of those organizations are more extreme than the NRA. Then again, they would lack the political acumen and influence that the NRA has.

I don't think NRA will fold at all, I think the financial claims are just hyperbole. They have effective corporate sponsorship and a very loyal base willing to show that loyalty through the pocketbook. The political donations made by the NRA matter, but their influence through ratings and endorsements is equally meaningful, as well as their role in networking relationships between politicians and large pro-gun donors.

via International Skeptics Forum https://ift.tt/2OIevXN