NRA Leadership and Politics
This is the second of a (for now) two-part series on the NRA and their impact on the legislative process. The first diarylooked at the NRA and legislation in light of Rep. Carolyn McCarthy’s impending bill to ban high-capacity clips. This diary explores a bit of legislative history. This diary will explore the NRA’s historical roots, recent activities, and financial underpinnings.
The NRA: A BRIEF HISTORY
Although certainly not the only organization promoting gun ownership, the NRA has been a powerful force in the United States since its inception in 1871 in the aftermath of the Civil War. It has consistently supported education and training missions aimed at making guns and gun users safer, beginning with establishing ranges and shooter training all across the United States for both children and adults. They also established the first hunter safety courses, train and certify gun safety instructors, and administer hunter safety courses in all 50 states.
In recent years the fucus of the NRA turned to the average citizen. In its instructional guide The Basics of Personal Protection In The Home has chapters on Basic Firearm Safety and Safe Firearm Storage.
NRA: LEADERSHIP
The NRA is governed by a large , unwieldy 75-member board of directors. The directors choose the president, who serves as the leading spokesman for the organization, from among their members. Throughout most of its history, this position changed annually, In 1993, actor and activist Charlton Heston, was elected and served until he became afflicted with Alzheimer's disease and stepped down in April 2003.
However, the real power in the NRA is vested in its Executive Vice President, who is not a director but is appointed by the directors to function as Chief Executive Officer. Wayne LaPierre has held this position since 1991. In 2002 LaPierre appointed as chief lobbyist the current Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, Chris W. Cox.
NRA: FINANCING
It is important to distinguish between the goals of the NRA leadership and that of the membership, since they are frequently different. Since his appointment, LaPierre has worked to establish a permanent funding source that effectively serves to distance the leadership from any need to rely on the good will of the membership, as it did when member dues were the primary income source.
In 1990 the NRA established he NRA Foundation, which has distributed more than $140 million to various organizations. Its Second Amendment Foundation focuses on legal actions, including fighting to overthrow municipal regulations on firearms. According to the NRA Wikipedia entry, which reads strangely like the NRA website:
The NRA Office of Advancement was created in 2005 to focus on building the NRA's endowment and underwriting programs and projects through strategic, planned, and corporate gifts across the organization - including the NRA, the NRA Foundation, NRA-ILA, the NRA Freedom Action Foundation, the NRA Whittington Center, and the Civil Rights Defense Fund. In 2007, the NRA Office of Advancement launched a new donor recognition society called the Ring of Freedom
As an aside, for those of you who have never visited the far side of nowhere, The above-mentioned Whittington Center is located in Raton, NM, a town of about 2000 families located 30 miles from the Capulin Volcano on NM Highway 64. It is just inside New Mexico, about mid-way between Santa Fe, NM (175 miles south), Amarillo, TX (200 miles east) and Colorado Springs, CO (145 miles north). Desolate doesn’t even start to describe the area, and yet, it is home to a fully funded NRA Center.
Although NRA financial information is not readily available, it is important to note the shift to "strategic, planned, and corporate gifts," meaning weapons manufacturers, arms dealers, and others who make their money from the sale of guns and ammunition of all kinds, both domestic and foreign, now have much greater control of NRA activities – and, by extension, Congressional activities – than the NRA membership.
Wikipedia also notes:
According to the Better Business Bureau's web site, the NRA does not fall within the BBB's scope of Standards for Charity Accountability. They do note the following financials for the NRA as of December 31, 2004. The NRA's CEO, Wayne LaPierre, received a yearly salary of $895,897 in 2004. They also indicated that fundraising costs accounted for 46% of the contributions received. The NRA is a 501(c)(4) organization and indicated that the NRA's total income in 2004 was $205,402,491 and had expenses of $206,886,970. Total NRA assets at the end of 2004 were $222,841,128.
NRA: POLITICAL ACTIVITY
As one might expect, the NRA has a long history of opposing any legislation that they deem detrimental to the exercise of Second Amendment rights at both the state and national levels. However, how they define "detrimental" is often as surprising as how they define "legislation."
In California, for example, the NRA vigorously opposed AB 1471:
Bucking pressure from the gun lobby, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an unprecedented law Saturday requiring that certain pistols sold in the state be equipped to mark each cartridge when fired so police can more easily trace the weapons.
The bill requiring that semiautomatic pistols be equipped with microstamping devices by 2010 is the first in the nation and was signed with some reluctance by the Republican governor.
"While I appreciate and understand that this technology is not without limitations, I am signing this bill to provide law enforcement with an additional tool for solving crimes committed with semiautomatic handguns in California," Schwarzenegger wrote.
The NRA has also opposed domestic abuse and animal abuse legislation because they claim they have a "potential" to erode gun owners’ rights. In North Carolina, the NRA opposed a bill to ban puppy mills. In Iowa, they opposed domestic violence legislation.
At the national level, for example, the NRA vociferously opposed the nominations of both Sonya Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. They also are largely responsible (in concert with the Party of NO) for there being no current director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
According to Fortune magazine:
Members of Congress have ranked the NRA as the most powerful lobbying organization in the country several years in a row.
RollCall (May 2009) reports that:
. . . the NRA has been on the attack.
"We do whatever is necessary to win," said Andrew Arulanandam, NRA’s director of public affairs. "We are proactively pushing a number of measures."
On Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill that would rein in credit card interest fees along with a Republican-sponsored amendment permitting concealed weapons in national parks. Another pro-gun measure has entangled a D.C. voting rights bill, proof that Democrats aren’t keen on voting against the gun lobby.
. . .
In addition to the NRA’s in-house team of about a dozen registered lobbyists including Chris Cox, the group retains well-connected bipartisan firms Ogilvy Government Relations and Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal.
Earlier this year, the NRA brought on the C2 Group’s Jeff Murray, known for his ties to the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. Murray was chief of staff to then-Rep. Bud Cramer (D-Ala.).
In the first quarter of this year, the NRA reported spending $435,000 on federal lobbying on a long list of issues ranging from the D.C. voting rights bill to the national parks matter.
In the 2008 election cycle, the National Rifle Association’s political action committee fired off slightly more than $1 million to federal candidates, with 78 percent going to Republicans and 22 percent to Democrats.
The NRA’s PAC gave $663,000 to House GOPers and $225,000 to the chamber’s Democratic candidates, according to election data compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
During debate on the Schumer-Conyers-McCarthy Gun Legislation in 2000, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) described the NRA’s actions:
It works smarter by ridding us of many of the NRA-written laws that have shielded illegal gun traffickers and dirty gun dealers from prosecution. It uses the latest in gun tracing data and ballistics technology to make it possible for law enforcement to zero in on the bad apples and throw the book at them and leave everyone else alone.
. . .
This bill also puts the NRA's big lie to the test. If the gun lobby is really serious about enforcing tough gun laws then the NRA should endorse this bill and put their muscle into passing it. I can tell you from 20 years of experience writing crime laws - I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the gun lobby's imprimatur because they have never been on the side of law enforcement.
. . .
I spent months drafting [the Brady] bill and steering it to the Floor and through the conference and back to the Conference again after it was defeated on the floor and back to the floor where it finally, narrowly became law - the NRA opposed the bill every step of the way. They opposed cops. They opposed prisons. They opposed mandatory minimums. All because we banned uzis and ak-47s in the same bill.
Now the same organization that sent out a million fundraising letters calling federal law enforcement jack-booted thugs are playing the law enforcement card. Fine. Then put up or shut up.
To them the crime issue is a thorn in their side. So they are making a naked political gambit to come up with some way to block any gun measure no matter the merit. Meanwhile kids and cops and mothers and fathers are dying every day because the Congress has been so cowed by the NRA that we fight gun crime with one hand tied behind our backs.
Smith and Wesson had the guts to buck the gun lobby. If a gun manufacturer can support this kind of legislation, Congress should be able to support this kind of legislation.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the NRA strongly supported the Citizens United lawsuit and Supreme Court decision. Remember . . .
Although NRA financial information is not readily available, it is important to note the shift to "strategic, planned, and corporate gifts," meaning weapons manufacturers, arms dealers, and others who make their money from the sale of guns and ammunition of all kinds, both domestic and foreign, now have much greater control of NRA activities – and, by extension, Congressional activities – than the NRA membership.
The NRA can take the opportunity presented by Rep. McCarthy’s bill to stand with law enforcement and against terrorists. They can represent their constituents and support their membership – millions of patriotic Americans whose lives are jeopardized daily by these high-capacity clips. Or they can stand, as they currently are, with the arms manufacturers and foreign interests and take the low road, along with the other terrorist sympathizers who would hold our nation hostage.
Before you rush off, here is a word from our sponsors. . . .
We have so many insightful and powerful diaries written here at Daily Kos. Our diaries inform, inflame, impassion, and even entertain. We Kossacks have strong voices and an even stronger will to be the change we wish to see in this country.
One of the richest, and perhaps most under-appreciated, areas of thought come in the form of comments attached to these diaries.
Here at Top Comments we strive to recognize and promote the talent of this community by highlighting outstanding comments found throughout the day by the diarist, and through nominations by other Kossacks. So when you find a comment that enlightens, entertains, or encourages, send it to:
topcomments at gmail dot com.
Comments should get to the inbox by 9:30 EST to be included that day (but we will carry over later ones). Don’t forget to include your Dkos screename, a link to the nominee, and a brief comment about why you think it is a Top Comment.
Tonight’s Top Comments. . . .
From bronte17:
BeninSC spreads the infectiousness of brightening the day with humanity and compassion in An Interesting Encounter with a Homeless Guy by OdiousMonk.
From bsmechanic:
In Jed Lewison's front page diary regarding the sudden dismissal of Keith Olbermann, Kaneblues uses simple math to disassemble the notion that MSNBC is a liberal news station.
From earicicle:
Cali Scribe passionately explains : where we should direct our anger over Keith Olbermann's departure.
From me:
In esby's diary Rachel Maddow Gets Her Point Across, a comment by OLinda gives joy to the HBO-less, telling us how to download Maher's show for free. Now we can all see what it takes to make an intelligent argument over Republican bs as Rachel beats back the lies of the idiotic Steve Moore.
Tonight’s Top Mojo . . . .
Top Mojo excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, Cheers and Jeers, and Mojo Friday:
1 - And, seriously, once again --.....Seneca Doane.....227
2 - I loved Rachel LITERALLY standing up.....smileycreek.....148
3 - We're your family too Carakav!.....elwior.....131
4 - The REAL Reason Keith Olbermann Left.....JekyllnHyde.....107
5 - What I also admire about her.....Drobin.....94
6 - Write more, young kossack.....KelleyRN2.....87
7 - I am watching.....Delilah.....85
8 - Essays on the Ancient World.....Ojibwa.....84
9 - MSNBC = Corporate News.....Kaneblues.....83
10 - that was great stuff ..........moonbatlulu.....83
11 - Great diary.....Betty Pinson.....75
12 - What a beautiful tribute Carakav.....yella dawg.....72
13 - We should be willing to do what Keith asks.....Seneca Doane.....70
14 - Wha...? Obama? Glenn Beck?.....grannyhelen.....67
15 - Well done.....Pluto.....66
16 - Blog softly and carry a big, socialist fuckstick......labradog.....66
17 - I rant therefore I am.....LaFeminista.....65
18 - I can't deal with this right now......4CasandChlo.....65
19 - Not quite as unbelievably stupid as........Trix.....64
20 - I feel like I've been sucker punched, again.....Jeff Y.....64
21 - Yes, I Stay Up All Night.....JekyllnHyde.....63
22 - Republicans pine for the Cold War.....Lefty Coaster.....63
23 - That's OK.....TheMomCat.....62
24 - Heartbroken...that's how this feels........APA Guy.....61
25 - Speculation, certainly.....Seneca Doane.....60
26 - Can't wait to find out the real story here......earicicle.....59
27 - Republicans hate facts.....Funphil.....58
28 - we have lost.....puzzled.....57
29 - Painful and Beautiful all in one.....CTPatriot.....57
30 - Well Boo Hoo......CherryTheTart.....57
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1) Tip Jar by Carakav — 544
2) No, put your head out the window and yell by Seneca Doane — 498
3) Tip Jar by esby — 313
4) Tip Jar by ipsos — 302
5) Tip Jar by dagnome — 256
6) Tip Jar by LaFeminista — 245
7) And, seriously, once again -- by Seneca Doane — 227
8) Tip Jar by Troutfishing — 215
9) Tip Jar by Forrest Brown — 181
10) Tips for nesting dolls, keys, and DK4 testing. by Got a Grip — 181
11) Tip Jar by Ojibwa — 168
12) Uh, Keith Never Said He Was Kidding!!!!! by CityLightsLover — 152
13) I loved Rachel LITERALLY standing up by smileycreek — 149
14) Tip Jar by Badabing — 142
15) Tip Jar by Drdemocrat — 139
16) Gratuitious pretty picture by Jerome a Paris — 138
17) We're your family too Carakav! by elwior — 131
18) Tip Jar by Sara R — 128
19) Tip Jar by Fokozatos siker — 125
20) Tip Jar by ericlewis0 — 119
21) Tip Jar by Clay Claiborne — 112
22) Tip Jar by MoDem — 111
23) The REAL Reason Keith Olbermann Left by JekyllnHyde — 107
24) Crap. by slinkerwink — 104
25) What I also admire about her by Drobin — 94
26) Tip Jar by DrSteveB — 88
27) Write more, young kossack by KelleyRN2 — 87
28) I am watching by Delilah — 85
29) that was great stuff ..... by moonbatlulu — 85
30) Essays on the Ancient World by Ojibwa — 84
31) Tips for Real TV News Channel by oxfdblue — 84