I Will Not Help Ack-Mac Destroy NRA

A lot of people are sending me this letter from Allan West. Carolyn Meadows has responded to it:

It is unfortunate that certain board members have resorted to making false and misleading public statements about proceedings of the NRA board of directors. As those board members know, we are not at liberty to discuss the particulars of the board of directors meeting that occurred in executive session on April 29. However, every board member was afforded the opportunity to speak openly about any issues of concern to them. To suggest otherwise is dishonorable.

During the meeting in question, the board had a healthy discussion where the issues that are being reported upon now were vetted and discussed. Beyond that, every board member was invited to attend committee meetings where legal, financial, regulatory, and business issues are thoroughly addressed. The NRA has an office of the general counsel, and separate independent outside counsel to represent the board of directors. In sum, there is no excuse for any board member to claim they are unaware of legal and business concerns being addressed by this Association.

It shocks the conscience to read that certain board members have apparently not kept themselves updated, informed and active on matters that are of interest to our 5 million members. They have an open invitation to get more actively involved — and to join the conversation in an appropriate way, as is provided for in our Bylaws.

In closing, it occurs to us that board members ‘voicing’ concern may have been part of a failed attempt to oust Wayne LaPierre as CEO and Executive Vice President of the NRA prior to the board meeting in Indianapolis. In fact, we were all warned that a scorched earth campaign would ensure unless Wayne moved to withdraw the NRA’s lawsuit against Ackerman McQueen and walked away from the NRA. Wayne chose the principled path — and did neither. He will continue to press for full transparency from all vendors, even the ones that employ Col. North and others.

Fact — when the board met, Wayne was unanimously voted to continue his leadership role of the Association. Anyone could have run against him, or any one of us for that matter or even called for a roll call vote. They chose not to do so.

We should end this petty bickering immediately. Now is the time for the NRA to return to its core mission: representing our members and defending the conditional freedoms of America.

https://twitter.com/StephenGutowski/status/1128365976662179840

Emphasis is mine. Wayne cheerleading aside, it’s been apparent to me that this is a follow through on that threat, and while I think Wayne should have retired after the 2016 election, I don’t know that Wayne stepping aside now wouldn’t intensify the current crisis or start a whole new one on top of it. If NRA is committed to ridding itself of Ack-Mac, right now that is enough for me. It’s apparent to me that the parasite is willing to kill the host if it’s going to be excised.

I’m no great fan of Wayne’s, and I think he’s got a lot to answer for, but if it’s Wayne or Ack-Mac, I know which side I’m taking.

35 thoughts on “I Will Not Help Ack-Mac Destroy NRA”

  1. The idea that we need to keep the corrupt leadership in place to fight the corrupt vendor is a rather odd way to articulate the path forward.

    Allen West never mentioned withdrawing the NRA’s lawsuit against Ackerman McQueen. That’s an invention of Carolyn Meadows!

    How about getting rid of both legal and financial liabilities, instead of keeping one over the other? Carolyn Meadows’ statement is pure self preservation!

    Another NRA Director, Timothy Knight, is supporting Allen West 100%:

    “As I have already expressed, I am very concerned about the course of our Association. It must always be focused on its stated purposes and objectives. Unfortunately, the NRA’s focus of late has been trying to cover up the financial malfeasance of the last 20 years. Therefore, I do not agree with the statements put out by Charles Cotton and Carolyn Meadows. The majority of the Board did NOT know about the misuse of Member dues. What has been leaked to the press came as an unwelcome surprise to many of us. And it erodes all confidence in management’s ability to lead the NRA. I do not support Wayne LaPierre continuing as Executive Vice President/CEO nor do I support Josh Powell continuing as Wayne’s Chief of Staff. The Assocation desperately needs to regain the confidence of its Members, and that can only happen with new management prepared to lead NRA and right the wrongs of the past.

    I 100% agree with Lieutenant Colonel Allen West and fully support what he wrote earlier today.

    Yours in Liberty,
    Timothy Knight
    NRA Board of Directors”

    1. I’m not saying Wayne shouldn’t be dealt with, but there are ways of dealing with him that don’t involve leaking NRA’s dirty laundry to our enemies.

      1. We are talking about the NRA President being accused by 2 NRA Directors of lying to NRA members and the NRA Board of Directors, while withholding documents from the NRA Board of Directors for proper oversight. Documents that the NRA Board of Directors only found out about through leaks and wasn’t briefed on after the leaks. Indirectly making Allen West and Timothy Knight responsible for the leaks is mud slinging at its best.

          1. Again, indirectly making Allen West and Timothy Knight responsible for the leaks is mud slinging at its best. Carolyn Meadows’ statement does that:

            “In closing, it occurs to us that board members ‘voicing’ concern may have been part of a failed attempt to oust Wayne LaPierre as CEO and Executive Vice President of the NRA prior to the board meeting in Indianapolis. In fact, we were all warned that a scorched earth campaign would ensure unless Wayne moved to withdraw the NRA’s lawsuit against Ackerman McQueen and walked away from the NRA.”

            So, “board members ‘voicing’ concern” are part of a “scorched earth campaign”. Yes, that’s how this reads and that’s how this is supposed to read.

              1. No, they are not! So, ask yourself, why would Carolyn Meadows respond to Allen West’s statement in a way that combines both issues and creates an us vs. them narrative, where them is Ackerman McQueen and NRA Directors who dare to question her?

                In fact, your own headline “I Will Not Help Ack-Mac Destroy NRA” combines both issues and creates the same us vs. them narrative. What does Allen West have to do with Ack-Mac destroying the NRA?

                1. Because the Association is going to circle the wagons. I think the focus on Wayne is misplaced. I think he has to be dealt with, but it should be dealt with internally, and in a way where it’s not going to reward the blackmailers.

                  1. So, you are asking the corrupt NRA leadership to deal with it internally. LOL. The NRA leadership had circled the wagons even before the Annual Meeting.

                    Well, it is not being dealt with internally, as Allen West and Timothy Knight clearly have stated. Other Directors have made similar statements already during the annual meeting. They are losing patience with the NRA leadership that continues to lie to them and to NRA members.

                    It is being covered up and even hidden from the Directors themselves. For questioning said cover up, the Directors receive mud in return. You seem to be happy in participating in said mud slinging.

                    Rob Pincus’ prediction is coming true. The NRA leadership simply will not listen and not take appropriate actions. As a result, the NRA will continue to see leaks, continue to divide the community, and eventually fail.

            1. We in the gun community tend to excuse “politician like behavior” from our own, but let’s be honest – the principals in this discussion are politicians. Everything they do is a calculated move with considered purpose. That is, until they reach the point that they begin believing their own legend. Once that happens, a person gradually begins to lose the capacity for rational thought. This is where some of these principals are, I’ll leave you to decide who.

              The title of this blog post is Ironic. The very position taken leads to NRA’s ultimate destruction.

              As it is frequently said in the Army, “it’s time to embrace the suck”.

              because the ensuing time after LaPierre – no doubt referred to on this blog as a suffix to the 4 digit year as “A.L.” it will suck for sure. we will lose ground in all likelihood, suffer repetitional impact, lose membership, fracture the community and give PR ammunition to our enemies.

              But what happens if we maintain the status quo?

              The slow, simmering scandal will not only boil, but evaporate away membership and support while our enemies continue to adopt strategies that we made successful. They will do exactly to NRA what Pelosi’s House leadership is to Trump. They will keep scandals front and center in the news cycle, only NRA doesn’t have the same pull and resources to bring to bear.

              Some lament the airing of dirty laundry and how this all came about. Who is worse?
              those who air ether dirty laundry?
              those who soiled the laundry?
              those who knew who soiled the laundry but said and did nothing?

              At some point, a person can no longer be an apologist for a broken and dysfunctional organization, until or unless a wholesale change of direction occurs.

              NRA has let some of the organization – despite who may actually sign the checks- live large on the membership’s dime. For the love of Christ – Wayne spent more than 2 houses in Texas on clothes at 1 buying session. Come on? Some of the NRA membership is poor and contributing money that means quite a lot to them. More than to you and me and probably the entire readership of this blog. The NRA board let this happen, and were poor, ineffective stewards of the membership’s money.

              LaPierre, and his BoD disciples need to step down now, for the good of the organization, the membership and the right to keep and bear arms. They need to apologize publicly to the membership as a part of their departure. This include Meadows, Cotton and everyone on the board who voted for the status quo. These people are not champions of gun rights, they’re champions of self promotion.

              The thing is, these people have an opportunity here to leave with some dignity now, or they can stay and stubbornly bring the ship down with their abusive mismanagement. If they stay, the slow burning scandal will continue to develop and get worse and drag NRA’s reputation through the mud along the way.

              Right now, LaPierre is talking to his handlers- quite possibly the same staff who helped Governor “Coonman” Northam in VA. All he has to do is stay silent and do nothing and it will blow over.

              but it won’t blow over the same way as Ralph the Racist.

              No, the grotesque scale of dysfunction has not only lived up to the hype, it’s significantly worse.

              The NRA BOD needs to do the right thing now. It’s not the easy thing, it’s not the thing that glorifies themselves, it’s the hard thing, but if they are truly, and honestly the best of the 2A community, they will do it. If they’re just self serving politicians, they’ll maintain the status quo.

  2. For those that don’t know, everytime you get a phone call “from NRA”, it’s a vendor. And if you “give” any money to NRA, the “vendor” gets 50%. So deal with NRA via website or check. Otherwise, you are lining the pockets of someone like Ack Mac.

    1. Isn’t this the same case for postal mail? Anyway, why send money to the NRA in the first place? To fund the ongoing feud between the different corrupt factions and to line their pockets in the process?

    2. Agreed. In fact, if you really want to have some fun with those callers, say something along the lines of, “Hey, you know, you’re right, I should give. I’m going to hop online/pull out my checkbook and mail it in right now! Thank you for the courtesy call!” Then, hang up. But really, it’s easiest to opt out of mailings and calls, then decide what you’re willing to give and make a point to do it regularly. That way they get the full impact of what you’re willing to donate and you can save time and trees.

      1. Look into the RoboKiller app for cell phones! It has prerecorded responses, including one by a Donald Trump voice. LOL. For VoIP lines, use nomorobo.com

        I opted out, but the NRA still calls me. The NRA is on my call block list.

        1. I opted out of the NRA mailings 15 years ago and have never recieved even a single phone call, email or even postal service mail from them since except for my copy of the monthly magazine.

    1. I think the lawsuit was indicative the relationship between Ack-Mac and Wayne’s office is on the rocks. I doubt the leaks following through on the threat have improved it since then.

  3. When I was a kid I used to believe WWF wrestling matches were real contests, too.

    1. The lawsuit is fake? Leaks were threatened, then delivered when the lawsuit wasn’t dropped? Wayne would leak his own garbage? Sorry, this looks like a real struggle to me.

      1. Someone who is good at charades knows how to make motions look real.

        Aren’t exorbitant legal fees an issue? Could the attorneys be friends of friends, invited in to help pick the last meat off the carcass?

  4. Unfortunately, we have people here are are willing (eager?) to burn down the NRA. AckMac or ego or something darker? Who knows? On the internet, nobody knows you are a dog.

    1. I think by completely replacing the NRA leadership, a clear legal and financial separation between the NRA and Ackerman McQueen is pretty straight forward. Right now, the NRA leadership itself is legally and financially entangled with Ackerman McQueen to the point that both have dirt on each other.

      Is asking for replacing the NRA leadership now considered burning down the NRA? Only if one equals the current NRA leadership with the NRA organization itself and thinks that letting go of the current NRA leadership means destroying the NRA organization. At least, that is the narrative pushed by the current NRA leadership. It’s self preservation, nothing else.

      1. I don’t see why we can’t do both: get rid of AckMac as well as the current leadership. I don’t see how getting rid of Wayne helps AckMac destroy the NRA. In fact, I see keeping Wayne as helping to destroy the NRA. As you can see in the comments below, and around the web, nobody is going to give to the NRA knowing that its all going to Wayne and not to the mission.

        We have two cancers. Lets cut them both out.

  5. I’m sorry to have to tell you this Sebastian, but the time to have quietly dealt with Wayne has long since passed.

    This is going to be public and painful.

    There is no other way.

  6. Instead of choosing between Wayne (Giant Douche) and Ack Mack (Turd Sandwich), why don’t we choose the mission and the members?

    Good riddance to Wayne, Ack Mack, and the Brewer Law Firm. If Wayne really believed in NRA’s mission he’d gracefully step aside, slink into the shadows with his millions, and let someone else take the helm. Because of his unethical behavior, he has become a source of divisive and public controversy, and he’s hurting more than he’s helping.

    The problem here isn’t that someone (AckMack?) leaked some damaging documents about Wayne’s sartorial habits, gifts for interns, and private charter flight habits. The problem is that Wayne used membership association assets for personal inurement, which is a major Non-Profit No-No. The best way to avoid having someone leak damaging exposes about you is to behave ethically in the first place.

    But as I said before, at this point the situation may be rapidly leaving the control of the NRA BoD. The NY AG has plenty of ammo to go on the offensive. And in two years if Trump doesn’t win re-election the IRS will be all over NRA’s non-profit status.

  7. Here’s the bottom line. I am currently a member. No more. This whole mess has shown me that I wasted my money. The NRA was/is a scam. Our enemies are loving every minute of this. The damage done to our rights is massive.

    My money and support will go elsewhere. No more money for Wayne’s expensive suits.

    1. I wholeheartedly agree. A thorough housecleaning is in order and boy wouldn’t Alan West be the right guy for the job!

  8. If you keep your nose clean, blackmail is a lot harder. If you have nothing to cover up, then proving accusations of a cover up is impossible.
    Ack-Mac needs to go. And send Wayne and his entire cabal with them.
    The enemy of my enemy is my enemy’s enemy. No more and no less.
    The fact that Ack-Mac even HAS blackmail material on Wayne and his cohort, and is willing to use it, merely highlights this fact.
    Let the villains fight. But clear them all out of any NRA “leadership” position, and have their fight on the docks or the open sea, and not our ship.
    It’s not a binary solution set, Ack-Mac or Wayne. And I would appreciate it if folks would stop pretending it is such.

    1. IDK, maybe yes maybe no. Lobbying and setting up fundraisers is an inherently corrupt and disgusting process, but it needs to be done nonetheless. If NRA spend $39,000 at a Beverly Hills shop for a donor that was cutting a $200,000 check, seems to me thats totally normal fundraising SOP**. After the fact the donor wants to remain anonymous and so all we have is the spin “WLP spent #39,000 in Beverly Hills.” So what looks bad may indeed be totally acceptable, but we can only get one side because the donor wishes to remain anonymous.

      And incidentally, when fundraising, you always want to “look the part” – i.e. look like money to get money. So wardrobe expenditures may also be justified.

      **I have donated to many .orgs, and its not unusual to get chachkies, tickets, or other perks as thank you gift. Large donors get larger perks. I finally told a few like the SAF, stop sending me stuff!

      So without knowing the totality of the circumstances, in an environment where one side (the truth) may be confidential, I think its hard to judge purely from news reports and one-sided agenda driven letters.

  9. Not sure I understand the scorched earth tactics. It eliminates any ability to return to a normal relationship and does not help any litigation. Other clients, if Ack-Mack has any, will be leaving as quickly as possible. Seems doubtful this is getting them any new ones.

  10. Not one more penny from me and mine. NEVER AGAIN. There may be someone who represents gun owners in the US. That someone is not the NRA. NOT ONE MORE PENNY. EVER.

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