Just as a civil corruption trial was about to begin in New York City, National Rifle Association of America (NRA) Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre has resigned effective January 31. Long-time NRA executive and Head of General Operations Andrew Arulanandam will become interim CEO and executive vice president.
According to the NRA, LaPierre cited health reasons as a reason for his resignation, which was accepted during today’s board meeting in Dallas. The health issue was not disclosed.
“With pride in all that we have accomplished, I am announcing my resignation from the NRA,” LaPierre said via a statement. “I’ve been a card-carrying member of this organization for most of my adult life, and I will never stop supporting the NRA and its fight to defend Second Amendment freedom. My passion for our cause burns as deeply as ever.”
LaPierre, 74, joined the NRA in 1977 and has long been a flashpoint of controversy for NRA, either for his statements regarding gun ownership after mass casualty incidents or alleged lavish spending. New York Attorney General Letitia James has been investigating the NRA and LaPierre for several years. Jury selection for the trial has begun.
The irony of the suit is that the NRA was founded in 1871 after being grated a charter by the state of New York. James filed a lawsuit to dissolve the NRA in August 2020 but New York Supreme Court Justice Joel M. Cohen blocked the dissolution attempt but allowed the civil trial to continue.
The pending cases is against LaPierre, the organization and executives Wilson Phillips and Joshua Powell. The New York Times is reporting that Powell has been in settlement talks with James.
James wrote in a posting to X (formerly Twitter): “The end of the Wayne LaPierre era at the NRA is an important victory in our case. LaPierre’s resignation validates our claims against him, but it will not insulate him from accountability. We look forward to presenting our case in court.”
The organization’s most recent federal Form 990 is for 2021 and showed LaPierre was paid $1,093,337 with additional benefits of $50,531 totaling $1,143,868. LaPierre in 2015 reportedly received a $3.7 million distribution from his deferred compensation plan, which was required by federal law, and data reports show that raised his total annual compensation to $5,110,985.
Total revenue was reported at $227.4 million, down from $282 million the prior year. The organization also reported spending $20,255,717 on legal fees. You can see the 243-page financial report here.
The civil trial is expected to focus on spending at the NRA, particularly by LaPierre. The NYT reported that Mr. LaPierre’s testimony at the trial is likely to focus heavily on his spending practices. He allegedly spent tens of thousands of dollars at a boutique in Beverly Hills, which James claims in the suit was paid via an NRA contractor. He also allegedly spent lavishly on vacations, racking up at least $250,000.
