Recent revelations of mismanagement and dubious dealings within the high ranks of the National Rifle Association have turned some of those cold lips into loose ones. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, NRA top dog Wayne LaPierre is whining to the board that organization president Oliver North is “extorting” him and pressuring LaPierre into resigning. The WSJ produces a letter dated Thursday, April 25, addressed to “Members of the Board,” reportedly written by LaPierre in regard to a phone conversation between North and LaPierre’s “most senior staff member,” Millie Hallow. LaPierre accuses North of relaying some troubling information “styled, in the parlance of extortionists, as an offer” Wayne LaPierre “couldn’t refuse.”
Teehee!
According to the letter, North was allegedly passing on a threat from Ackerman McQueen, the firm that actually pays out the big money contracts to people like Oliver North and other NRA personalities. The relationship between the NRA, a nonprofit, and their third party vendors has been the subject of suspicious opaqueness over the last many years. According to LaPierre, North explained that Ackerman had drafted its own letter, with “damning” information about the NRA, including, but not exclusively, juicy tidbits like:
- “...a devastating account of our financial status”
- “… sexual harassment charges against a member”
- Various “excessive expenses,” for travel and wardrobe.
The WSJ says that “Mr. North previously had sent a longer letter to the board’s executive committee detailing new allegations of financial improprieties involving more than $200,000 of wardrobe purchases by Mr. LaPierre that were charged to a vendor.” Fancy clothes!
For some time now there has been growing speculation about the actual solvency of the NRA’s operation. This mysterious letter that LaPierre considers extortion would possibly shed some light on those reports. According to LaPierre, this letter would “not be sent” if Mr. LaPierre resigned his position as executive vice president, the top position in the NRA. So while LaPierre finishes the letter by saying that this is not about Ackerman McQueen and Oliver North … he’s sort of saying it is.
Saying I don’t have a dog in this fight would be offensive to dogs. “I don’t have a creature in this swamp” would likely be more apropos.