Wayne LaPierre steps down as NRA CEO
Wayne LaPierre Resigns as CEO of the NRA
In a surprising announcement, Wayne LaPierre, the longtime CEO of the National Rifle Association (NRA), revealed his resignation on Friday, according to Fox News.
LaPierre, who has been with the organization for nearly five decades since joining in 1977, has held the positions of executive vice president and CEO since 1991, as noted by Fox. Effective January 31, his resignation will see Andrew Arulanandam, head of general operations, stepping in as interim CEO, as announced by NRA President Charles Cotton.
“With pride in all that we have accomplished, I am announcing my resignation from the NRA,” LaPierre stated in a press release obtained by Fox News. “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.”
“On behalf of the NRA Board of Directors, I thank Wayne LaPierre for his service,” Cotton expressed in the press release. “Wayne has done as much to protect Second Amendment freedom as anyone. Wayne is a towering figure in the fight for constitutional freedom, but one of his other talents is equally important: he built an organization that is bigger than him.”
LaPierre, 74, cited concerns about his health as the reason for his resignation.
LaPierre’s decision to step down comes as a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James against the NRA is set to go to trial next week, according to CNN. The lawsuit alleges that the NRA violated non-profit laws and accuses its leaders of misusing the organization’s funds for personal gain. The lawsuit seeks to dissolve the NRA.
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“The NRA’s influence has been so powerful that the organization went unchecked for decades while top executives funneled millions into their own pockets,” James stated after announcing the lawsuit in August 2020.
Following the lawsuit filing, then-NRA President Carolyn Meadows told CNN that it was a “baseless premeditated attack on our organization and the Second Amendment freedoms it fights to defend. It’s a transparent attempt to score political points and attack the leading voice in opposition to the leftist agenda.”
James has been highly critical of the NRA even before becoming attorney general, referring to it as a “criminal enterprise” and a “terrorist organization” during her 2018 campaign for the position.
Regarding the lawsuit, the NRA stated in its press release announcing LaPierre’s resignation, “The NRA continues its defense of a lawsuit by the New York Attorney General, and LaPierre is an individual defendant in that action. It is well-known that the NYAG vowed to pursue the NRA when she was a candidate for her office and, upon being elected, filed a lawsuit to dissolve the Association in August 2020. Trial proceedings in that case begin Monday.”
How might the resignation of Wayne LaPierre impact the NRA’s ability to navigate the ongoing lawsuit filed by the New York Attorney General
Wayne LaPierre, the longtime CEO of the National Rifle Association (NRA), shocked many on Friday when he announced his resignation, according to Fox News. LaPierre has been with the organization for nearly five decades, joining in 1977 and holding the positions of executive vice president and CEO since 1991, as noted by Fox. Effective January 31, his resignation will see Andrew Arulanandam, head of general operations, stepping in as interim CEO, as announced by NRA President Charles Cotton.
In a press release obtained by Fox News, LaPierre stated, “With pride in all that we have accomplished, I am announcing my resignation from the NRA. 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.”
NRA President Charles Cotton expressed his gratitude on behalf of the NRA Board of Directors, saying, ”Wayne has done as much to protect Second Amendment freedom as anyone. Wayne is a towering figure in the fight for constitutional freedom, but one of his other talents is equally important: he built an organization that is bigger than him.”
LaPierre, who is 74 years old, cited concerns about his health as the reason for his resignation.
However, LaPierre’s decision to step down comes amidst a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James against the NRA, which is set to go to trial next week, according to CNN. The lawsuit accuses the NRA of violating non-profit laws and alleges that its leaders misused the organization’s funds for personal gain. The lawsuit seeks to dissolve the NRA.
The resignation of Wayne LaPierre marks the end of an era for the NRA. With his long-standing tenure and his significant contributions to the defense of Second Amendment rights, LaPierre leaves behind a formidable legacy. As the NRA faces legal challenges, it remains to be seen how the organization will navigate these turbulent times and continue its fight for gun owners’ rights.
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