NRA has announced some staff changes, of which the big news would appear to be James Baker coming back to head up federal affairs. Baker is largely responsible for turning ILA into the well-oiled lobbying engine it is today, so members should take this as a positive development.
On the other hand, as Joe Huffman has been tracking, and Thirdpower has also taken note of, our opponents seem to have either undergone some kind of restructuring, or some of their staff have decided their energies are best devoted elsewhere. Peter Hamm seems to no longer be with the Bradys and has struck out on his own. Whatever is in Peter’s future, we wish him well. He was a worthy adversary, and in a world marked by divisive and nasty politics, understood political struggle didn’t have to be personal. I’ve long maintained that in the current climate, civility suits us better than nastiness. I wish any former Brady staffers well. We would, indeed, like them all to move on to more worthy causes.
But whatever has happened at Brady, it is hard to say. They will be tight lipped about anything. Staff reductions in DC are taken for what they are, which is a sign your cause is on its way out. No group wants to announce a restructuring, especially if finances are the chief driver. A spate of resignations wouldn’t look good either. So I don’t expect Brady to announce what’s actually happened, but it would seem we’re going to have some new public faces for our adversaries.
I know how ugly a picture this might be, but know I am dancing around the living room in my boxers!!!
I might watch Glee this week!
I’m sort of surprised Jim Baker is heading back to NRA. Wonder what that is about. I know he sold the Federal Group to Ogilvy for quite a bit of money, but it strikes me as strange that he’d go back and work for Cox – unless he’s in a new position that reports directly to LaPierre (or the NRA is paying him a ton (which I sort of doubt)).
I don’t know, if I had the kind of money he does, I might not mind a position that keeps me plugged in while I figure out what I want to do next.
That’s interesting. What happened to all the money the Joyce Foundation just donated to anti-gun groups?
It reminds me of the almost immediate bankruptcy of the so-called “million mom march” group right after their big splashy public debut at the capitol. Despite the big bucks poured into the group they were forced to merge with the Brady group because of lack of funds!
I’m convinced that some real journalism is yet to be done writing a comprehensive book on the gun control movement. I suspect a lot of left wing money ended up in a very few pockets, and all for nothing. The gun control movement has lost and everyone knows it.