New York State wants to dissolve the NRA

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In a statement, the NRA accused the prosecutor of wanting to “score points politically” three months before the US presidential election. She said that legal action had been initiated to oppose the complaint.

” We are ready to fight. We are waiting for you, ”responded Wayne LaPierre in a statement sent to AFP. “The NRA is well managed, financially solvent, and committed to maintaining good governance,” he added, calling the complaint “an attack on democracy and freedom”.

For decades, the lobby has championed the views of millions of gun owners in the United States, staunchly opposing any regulation of the gun market.

Its influence is considerable and the organization does not skimp on the means to support candidates defending the same positions in elections, both at local and national level.

Millions of dollars are expected to be injected again by the NRA for the presidential, legislative and senatorial elections on November 3.

President Donald Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Jr, are members of the organization and regularly participate in its events.

Asked about the complaint Thursday, the Republican billionaire said it was a “terrible thing”.

Luxury vacations

Wayne LaPierre has led the NRA for nearly three decades as executive vice president.

According to the New York prosecutor, the leader among other things illegally used NRA funds to regularly take his family to the Bahamas for luxury vacations.

He also, said M^me James, accepted onerous gifts and travel from lobby vendors, and gave himself $ 17 million for his retirement without the approval of the organization’s board of directors.

According to the complaint, many of the charges against Mr. LaPierre were made possible by the three other defendants, whom he himself recruited: former treasurer Wilson Phillips, legal director John Frazer and the former head of human resources Joshua Powell.

They would have helped to conceal the various payments.

“The influence of the NRA is such that the organization has evaded scrutiny for decades, as its top executives put millions of dollars in their pockets,” said the New York attorney general.

“The NRA is full of fraud and abuse and that is why we are now seeking to dissolve it, because no organization is above the law,” she added.

She denied any political motivation, but conceded that the state had forced the disbandment of only two other lobbying organizations in recent years, one of which was the Trump Foundation.

This is “a groundless, premeditated attack on our organization and the freedoms guaranteed by the Second Amendment it fights to defend,” said lobby chair Carolyn Meadows, referring to the amendment to the US Constitution, which many Americans interpret guarantees the right to own and carry firearms.

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