Hertz is out, too. But it's clear that more and more businesses are choosing to sever their ties with the NRA as the gun control debate continues in the wake of the Parkland shooting. The NRA Foundation's payments to the main NRA lobbying arm slumped to about $14 million in 2020 as it faced the D.C. attorney general's lawsuit alleging that the foundation illegally diverted money to the NRA's lobbying arm, which has been accused of "inappropriate spending," "self-dealing" and other questionable transactions. As the NRAs former number two recently put it in a tell-all book, Wayne LaPierre knew that when the NRA needed to raise money, it could depend on fear-mongering messaging, which LaPierre purportedly referred to as pouring gasoline on the fire.98This sort of rhetoric continued around the 2020 election. [96] Cydney Hargis, NRAs Endorsement of High-Profile QAnon Candidates Is Not Its First Brush with the Conspiracy Theory, Media Matters for America, September 15, 2020, https://www.mediamatters.org/qanon-conspiracy-theory/nras-endorsement-high-profile-qanon-candidates-not-its-first-brush. Companies that have cut ties include MetLife, Symantec, Enterprise, Alamo, National, and First National Bank, which will not renew a co-branded NRA Visa credit card. [26] Deposition designation of Gayle Sanford (played via video in court), In RE: NRA Bankruptcy Trial, April 8, 2021, 74:10 75:17 (Q. At trial, LaPierre explained that the NRA paid for his personal travel agent, Gayle Stanford, with whom he would book trips and private flights. I frequently call this man a coward. [138] Jason Ouimet, After Lackluster Returns, Some Urge Democrats to Ditch Gun Control, Americas 1st Freedom, NRA, January 30, 2021, www.americas1stfreedom.org/articles/2021/1/30/after-lackluster-returns-some-urge-democrats-to-ditch-gun-control. Medical Concierge Network's founder, Greg Nassief, told ThinkProgress the company had no comment on its NRA connections, only that it had similar ties "with several entities across all sorts of categories.". After hearing the evidence, the bankruptcy court threw out the NRAs case in short order. ManageUrID, which aims to prevent personal information from being spread online, offers unspecified savings to NRA members. Can you answer the questions that are asked? adding, Do you understand that Ive said that to you more than a dozen times over the last day?18. [38] Deposition of Wayne LaPierre, September 24, 2019, 111, https://nrawatch.org/filing/nra-ceo-wayne-lapierre-deposition-transcript. The Hyatt Regency hotel in Dallas will host NRA events during the groups annual convention in May. We encourage people to buy products from companies they can count on to not support efforts aimed at curtailing constitutional rights, he explained. Last Tuesday, .css-umdwtv{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#FF3A30;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-umdwtv:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}ThinkProgress posted a list of companies that supported the NRA through these special offers, and companies have cut ties to the NRA as it aggressively resists calls for stricter gun control. Robinson, who received NRA support, has a history of making anti-Semitic and homophobic statements, including in an interview he gave with a far-right religious leader who plans to become king of the United States.88, Among others, the NRA also endorsed multiple candidates for state and federal office who had espoused beliefs in the QAnon conspiracy theory, including Marjorie Taylor Greene.89 In addition to embracing QAnon, Greene has ties to multiple far-right extremist organizations,90 has harassed school shooting survivors,91 and has endorsed conspiracy theories that the Sandy Hook92 and Parkland93 shootings were false flag events. Omnis Dallas outpost will host events put on by the NRA as part of its national convention in May. [65] NY AG Files Amended Complaint against NRA, LaPierre, and Others, NRA Watch, August 16, 2021, para. Donald Trump was hardly the only candidate with extremist beliefs whom the NRA endorsed in 2020. [15] Others include Pete Brownell, Esther Schneider, Timothy Knight, Sean Maloney, Julie Golob, Richard Childress, Craig Morgan, Dan Boren, and Duane Liptak. What the Hell Is Going on at Our Airports? [57] Danny Hakim, Ad Firms Fires Back at NRA with $50 Million Lawsuit, New York Times, May 23, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/us/nra-ackerman-mcqueen-lawsuit.html. Did You Ever Wonder How and Why the Left Is Able to Push Their Narratives Almost Unhindered. https://t.co/fCVxcARyUq, The NRA and its leaders have even spread conspiracy theories suggesting that the counts of sick and dead from COVID-19 were fake or inflated. The NRAs leadership blamed the pandemic, claiming that [l]ike every other business and nonprofit, we are forced to make tough choices in this new economic environment created by the pandemic.107 However, 2019, the last year for which there is a full public accounting of the NRAs financial state, was the fourth year in a row108 that the NRA had run a deficit.109 In January 2020, just two months before the start of the pandemic, Wayne LaPierre was recorded telling the NRA board of directors that the organization had taken about a $100 million hit in lost revenue and real cost to this association in 2018 and 2019, due to the various legal issues facing it. Mossberg & Sons, and Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. show support as 2020 Defender Level Sponsors. Indeed, in many ways the NRAs rhetoric and positions on gun rights seem ancillary, and primarily in service of keeping donations flowing and existing management in power. https://t.co/21VYyBKQ2q pic.twitter.com/pINcqY8CCn, Broadcaster Soledad O'Brien added: "The NRA gave you just under 14 million dollars, sir. [42] Deposition designations of Carolyn Meadows (as read into the record by counsel), In RE: NRA Bankruptcy Trial, 4/20/2021, 12:18 13:1 (Q. Earlier last year. All Rights Reserved. Its mission is "to halt . [101] Frontiersman (Frontie69105905), Twitter, January 10, 2021, archived on January 12, 2021, https://archive.is/UgqAP. After a gunman took 17 lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida earlier this month, a long list of companies has decided to cut ties with the National Rifle Association (NRA). It was closely followed by Wells Fargo, which the organization noted has been called "The NRA . Broadcaster Soledad O'Brien added: "The NRA gave you just under 14 million dollars, sir. The CCRKBA recently added Gucci to the list after it was revealed the high-end brand donated $500,000 to the March for Our Lives organization, which launched after the Parkland shooting in Florida. Travel Shield On Call International: Has not issued a comment. [76] Ewan Palmer, Alaska Congressman Who Called Coronavirus the Beer Virus Attended NRA Fundraiser after Skipping COVID-19 Relief Fund Vote, Newsweek, https://www.newsweek.com/coronavirus-alaska-don-young-relief-vote-nra-1493163. BB&T operates branches in 15 states and Washington D.C. We have responsible new parties in place to ensure that the transparency, the trustworthiness that the Court and the parties require is here while we work in a very finite period of time towards a confirmation plan.). [16] Testimony of Wayne LaPierre In RE: NRA Bankruptcy Trial, April 7, 2021, 130:18 131:2. Also signing were large advertising and media firms, such as Conde Nast, Group Nine Media, Havas, Interpublic, Omnicom, and Publicis, no surprise given the messaging on guns that we so often see. Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. [44] Neil Weinberg, NRA Spending on Lawyers Is on Pace for Record This Year, Bloomberg, July 28, 2021. https://nrawatch.org/filing/ny-ag-complaint-against-nra. . The group poured at least $4.5 million to support Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.134 Weeks before the runoff election, the NRA claimed, The stakes of this Senate runoff could not be higher and emphasized, Georgia is the key to protecting our right to keep and bear arms.135 Ultimately, both of the NRA-backed candidates lost, giving Democrats the majority in the US Senate for the first time since 2014. By Bloomberg Wire 11:40 AM on Apr 29, 2021 CDT Bank of America and Citigroup, the top two underwriters in the $3.9 trillion municipal bond market, are at risk of getting shut out of Texas because. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. While the power and influence they have built will take years to dissipate fully, the bottom line is clear: the past year has been a disaster for the NRA, and LaPierre in particular. And in three years, it has disappeared from the scene, not mentioned, not heard of, and you just got a textbook example of what a national election looks like without the NRA involved.. A combined image of senators reportedly bankrolled by the NRA. Townhall.com is the leading source for conservative news and political commentary and analysis. Given the way the NRA leadership has spent its members money in recent years, its hardly surprising that in 2019 alone, the organizations revenue from membership dues dropped by a third124 to its lowest levels in seven years.125 That drop, along with a $10 million decrease in contributions, meant that the NRAs revenue was down by more than $57 million, or 13 percent, in 2019.126 Reports indicate that the NRAs total revenue declined again in 2020 and revenue was lagging even the 2020 figure through the first several months of 2021.127, If you look at what has happened to the NRAs public image and their public communications in the last three years, its a graduate level course in what not to do in communication. This is a decrease from the previous year, when the NRA spent about 4.92. During China virus, you need a firearm to protect from the criminals that Dem are releasing, Twitter, April 3, 2020, https://twitter.com/WillesLee/status/1246244581341106176. CARD NUMBER*. We will support the issuers efforts to wind down the portfolio smoothly. Of those senators, 16 have received more than $1 million. New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the group in 2020, accusing it of financial misconduct. Most recently, Albertsons Companies, ALDI, CVS, Kroger, Meijer, Publix, Subway, Walgreens, Walmart and Wegmans also took a stand for the safety of their customers and announced open carry prohibitions in their stores. The company's majority 9 member board voted to censure their CEO, then laughably claimed that "politics is not part of our business". Targets Online and Rivers South Safaris add their support as 2020 Protector level Sponsors. Bank of America Bank of America said in April it would stop financing manufacturers that make military-inspired firearms for civilians, such as AR-15s. started their industry careers in entry-level positions. [133] Danny Hakim, N.R.A. [29] NRA Leader Took Security Retreat on Yacht to Bahamas after Deadly School Shootings, CBS News, April 7, 2021, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nra-leader-sailed-away-with-family-aboard-yacht-to-bahamas-after-deadly-school-shootings. [23] NY AG Files Amended Complaint against NRA, LaPierre, and Others, NRA Watch, August 16, 2021, para. Yknow what? In addition to reportedly running the NRA's ads, YouTube's streaming service is yet another carrier of NRA TV. Smith & Wesson, O.F. A representative did not respond to a request for comment. Organizations also cut their ties to the NRA Correct. Some even maligned Floyd himself. It did not respond to a request for comment. These Companies Still Do Business With the NRA, Arming Teachers is a Vain and Foolish Idea, Three Veterans Talk About Arming Teachers, Republican Senators Form Wingnut Xylophone, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway asked the organization to relocate the annual convention, but they refused. Welcome to the Official NRA Facebook page. Carletta Whiting, whos disabled & vulnerable to #coronavirus, asks Dems trying to exploit the pandemic: Why do you want to leave people like me defenseless?, Twitter, April 3, 2021, https://twitter.com/NRA/status/1241418470341980167. Financial institutions decide which organizations they want to partner with when offering Visa co-branded cards. While several Republicans tweeted after the shooting that they are offering their thoughts and prayers to the victims, others have pointed out that there are a number of GOP senators who have received millions of dollars of donations from the NRA over the years. [37] Opening statement of NRA attorney Greg Garman, In RE: NRA Bankruptcy Trial, April 5, 2021, 20:20-21 (Woody Phillips, that was a man not up to the job). ", Roku: "We are an open platform for streaming and allow publishers to reach a TV audience," a spokesperson said in a statement to. Its time for tech leaders to acknowledge their role in helping the NRA spread this dangerous content and cut it out. Her group is specifically pointing to these five services that carry NRATV: The Associated Press contributed to this report. . Join me in opposing this rancid evil trying to over take our country. Many companies have cut ties with the NRA this week, but not all have just yet. [97] Olivia Li, The Gun Rights Rhetoric That Helped Seed the Insurrectionist Mindset, The Trace, January 9, 2021, https://www.thetrace.org/2021/01/gun-rights-rhetoric-insurrectionist-mindset-capitol-trump. The NRA has become synonymous with mismanagement, extremism, greed, and scandal. [52] Court Dismisses NRA Bankruptcy Case, NRA Watch, May 11, 2021, https://nrawatch.org/filing/court-dismisses-nra-bankruptcy-case/. [41] See e.g., Closing statement of NRA attorney Greg Garman, In RE: NRA Bankruptcy Trial, May 3, 2021, 46:8-14 (It is very, very true that we dont run from what happened before 2018. [66] Matt Cohen, How the NRA Is Using Coronavirus Fears to Drive Up Gun Sales, Mother Jones, May 8, 2020, https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/05/how-the-nra-is-using-coronavirus-fears-to-drive-up-gun-sales. The NRA and its sister 501(c)(3) organization, the NRA Foundation, also suffered an initial loss in the case brought against it by District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine. NRA.ORG Manage Your Membership NRA Near You Friends of NRA State and Federal Gun Laws NRA Online Training Politics, Policy and Legislation Clubs and Associations Affiliated Clubs, Ranges and Businesses Competitive Shooting NRA Day Competitive Shooting Programs Collegiate Shooting Programs America's Rifle Challenge Competitor Classification Lookup In fact, in those two years, the NRA cut spending on Safety, education & training by approximately a third.113, Meanwhile, 2020 marked the third year in a row that the NRA cut spending on Hunter Services by more than 60 percent.114 That year, Hunter Services accounted for less than 0.08 percent of the NRAs reported spending.115, In addition, the NRAs Eddie Eagle gun safety program for children has essentially fallen apart, with a drop of some 95 percent in 2020 in terms of the number of children the program reached.116, At the same time the NRA was cutting spending for training and hunter services, it spent more on lawyers. Did Rupert Murdoch Blow Up Fox News's Defense? [121] Neil Weinberg, NRA Spending on Lawyers Is on Pace for Record This Year, Bloomberg, July 28, 2021, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-28/nra-legal-battles-squeeze-shrunken-budget-internal-records-show. The NRA has canceled its 2021 annual meeting, which was scheduled to take place in . The political influence of the National Rifle Association (NRA) is once again in the spotlight in the wake of the mass shooting at the elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Q. This story is presented by the. LifeLine Screening: Has not issued a comment. The NRA Publications Division announced last year that Dennis Reese, CEO/owner of Springfield Armory, would be the 2021 Golden Bullseye Awards Pioneer recipient. Visa, meanwhile, said in a statement this week that its co-branded cards do not represent an endorsement by Visa of that cause or organization.. FNBO has informed us of its intention not to renew the NRA co-branded card program when its agreement with the NRA expires. The NRA named the American Cellars Wine Club, Vinesse Wines' flagship location, as its official group. Maybe one day the words he says and what he actually does, will match." With the NRA Annual Meeting of Members scheduled for October 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina, this report lays out the details of the reality the NRA doesnt want to talk about with its members. A representative for the Avis Budget Group, which operates the two car rental companies, confirmed to ThinkProgress February 23 that it would end its relationship with the NRA. On Thursday, Enterprise . The goal was to provide a comprehensive list of companies and/or CEOs who back gun control initiatives and legislation or have anti-firearm corporate policies in place. Many of our groups are charity events, weddings, family reunions, and youth sports teams, so saving these groups that are on a budget from any unforeseen expense is our number one priority at HotelPlanner.com.. In addition to these companies, there are many other local organizations that support the NRA, and you can find a full directory of them on the group's site. A particularly powerful part of the trial involved testimony from several current and former NRA board members who spoke about the organizations dysfunction and mismanagement. Other Republicans who received significant money from the NRA include Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell and Josh Hawley of Missouri. Testimony from two other NRA leaders left several questions unanswered. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Facebook in 2018: Parkland School Shooting was a False Flag Planned Event, Media Matters for America, January 19, 2021, https://www.mediamatters.org/false-flag-conspiracy-theory/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-facebook-2018-parkland-school-shooting-was. . The NRAs bankruptcy trial prominently highlighted the failed leadership of Wayne LaPierre. Companies that had special partnerships with the NRA before Parkland, including Delta Airlines, United Airlines, the First Bank of Omaha, MetLife Insurance, and several car rental agencies,. Today, Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1927, NRA-backed constitutional carry legislation authored . Seth Perlman/AP, File "We look forward to making our case in court, and finally shining a light on the NRA's . [32] Testimony of Wayne LaPierre In RE: NRA Bankruptcy Trial, April 7, 2021, 128:12-25. at paras. MidwayUSA offers a wide variety of outdoor goods, including camping gear, all-weather clothing and firearms. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. The advocacy organization has maintained that stance since the 1970s, when it shifted from focusing on gun safety and marksmanship to fending off gun-control regulations, supporting friendly. Powell opined, Clearly Chris Cox, our chief lobbyist, was not creating enough noise. "Effective March. NRA leaders openly admitted this, including board member Bob Barr, who said the bankruptcy has nothing to do with the NRAs financial position. . A representative did not respond to a request for comment. According to data compiled by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence in 2019, about two dozen sitting Republican senators have received contributions from the NRA. [137] Joshua L. Powell, Inside the NRA (New York: Twelve, 2020), 93. The company said Monday in a statement that it doesnt agree with the organizations views on assault rifles and large-capacity magazines, but that it wont eliminate its discount for NRA members. For Democrats. The answer you seek is the money you continue to take. [72] Public Health: Still Double Counting, NRA-ILA, December 21, 2020, https://www.nraila.org/articles/20201221/public-health-still-double-counting. According to the New York Times, the NRA continues to lose ground in Congress, with the last remnants of its Democratic support vanishing and its still-high Republican support eroding slightly.139 In its attempt to keep lawmakers in check, the NRA brands legislators with letter grades, assessments that have become more stratified and polarized over time. [7] Motion by NRA board member Phillip Journey, February 8, 2021, https://nrawatch.org/filing/in-yet-another-blow-to-the-nra-board-member-seeks-examiner-to-investigate-nra-during-bankruptcy. [67] COVID-19: Threat to Second Amendment, NRA-ILA, https://www.nraila.org/coronavirus. In the courtroom, it would be difficult for the NRA to find itself on worse footing. Direct Long Term Care: Has not issued a comment. Examples include the following: LaPierres shaky testimony also raised questions about his ability to lead the NRA. Many activists on social media are calling for the streaming service to drop the channel from its offerings.. In October 2020, LaPierre addressed the NRAs Annual Meeting of Members. As referenced previously, the NRA took the desperate step of filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2021. For the second election in a row, the NRA gave more Fs than As in 2020.140 Of the candidates in 2020 whose grades changed since their last election, three times as many had their grades downgraded compared to those whose grades were upgraded.141 In addition, the number of A-rated Democrats in both houses of Congress declined from sixty-three in 2008142 to zero today.143 In fact, there is currently only one Democrat in Congress with a rating better than a C.144. The National Rifle Association is pleased to announce MidwayUSA as the official sponsor of its 2022 Annual Meetings and Exhibits to be held in Houston, Texas, May 27-29. Upcoming Events. A federal judge threw out the National Rifle Association's bid to declare bankruptcy Tuesday, allowing New York to proceed in its effort to dissolve the gun rights group for alleged "fraud and abuse." break from its usual strategy of keeping quiet, stop issuing NRA-branded Visa credit cards. Amazon Amazon, along with Apple and Google, has come under fire for supporting NRA TV. Simply put, the NRA has long claimed that the threat of an armed insurrection is the only thing stopping an authoritarian takeover of the American government and that easy access to guns is crucial to an armed popular uprising.97 With this faulty logic in place, the NRA can use conspiracy theories to paint even the most modest change to gun laws from an opposing candidate as the first step in an insidious plan to implement authoritarianism, thus increasing fear among the electorate and generating money and political motivation for its cause. Q. The companies which have caved to the public pressure of websites like ThinkProgress are: Alamo Rental Cars Allied Van Lines Avis Rental Cars Budget Rental Cars Chubb (they underwrote carry insurance for gun owners) Delta Airlines Enterprise Rental Cars First National Bank of Omaha Hertz Rental Cars LifeLock
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