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General Category => General Talk => Topic started by: TheHarleyB on May 12, 2019, 12:50:14 PM

Title: Leaked NRA docs show funny money stuff :: UPDATE: NRA finally responds
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 12, 2019, 12:50:14 PM
Update 5/23: NRA finally responds with an overnight email (posted on p2 (http://gunlink.info/forums/index.php?topic=2137.msg6492#msg6492))

Last night somebody dumped a bunch of "leaked" memos and letters between NRA execs that show some pretty sketchy stuff. Stuff like Wayne LaPierre spending a quarter million dollars on clothing and another quarter million bucks on travel ($40k per domestic flight?!). Stuff like paying a law firm almost $3 MILLION PER MONTH with no indication of what they're doing. And when asked to do a review of the expenditures, he either flat out refuses or just neglects to take action.

It looks like this garbage is probably a big part of why Oliver North gave up the presidency.

I grabbed the images so they didn't get disappeared but it looks like two of them got messed up. I think I tried saving them before they finished loading. Two of them don't look too important but I wish I'd got the third one.

I've tried to organize them mostly by date and put them in order.

Here is LTCOL Oliver North (just resigned NRA pres)  damning 4/18/19 letter to John Frazer (NRA secretary/general counsel) and Charles Cotton (chair of NRA audit committee)

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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 12, 2019, 12:56:00 PM
On 4/12/2019 (according to a memo from North below), NRA filed a lawsuit against Ackerman McQueen (AM) "without consultation and without finformtin members of the NRA Board of Directors or Key officers"

On 4/22/19, AM responded with a couple of letters asking for "clarification" on how Wayne LaPierre really spent HALF A MILLION+ DOLLARS that they gave him for "clothing" and "travel"

Clothing Bills - $274,695.03
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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 12, 2019, 12:57:13 PM
Travel Bills - $267,430.53


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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 12, 2019, 01:00:14 PM
On 4/25/19, NRA pres Oliver North sent the NRA executive committee a memo stating that "NRA FACES A CRISIS"

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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 12, 2019, 01:08:50 PM
Oliver North's statement to the NRA board at the annual meetings

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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 12, 2019, 01:10:29 PM
NRA life member and instructor Andrew Lander sent the NRA board an open letter on 4/29/19. This is one of the ones that I messed up. I don't think there was anything big in it, just voicing his frustration.



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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 12, 2019, 01:11:43 PM
Also on 4/29/19, another life member/trainer sent another open letter


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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 12, 2019, 01:14:12 PM
The last of the leaked docs is a letter from NRA benefits/payroll manager Shawne Soto. I'm not sure why this one was included other than to show that they were messing with NRA employee pension benefits while LaPierre (and others?) were doing shady stuff with association money.



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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: masfonos on May 12, 2019, 01:24:01 PM
What the heck is going on over there?  $100,000 A DAY to a law firm that is... doing what?



North's "seven reasons why the NRA must engage an independent, outside expert to review the Brewer invoices immediately."


First, the Brewer firm's invoices appear to be excessive on their face
"More alarming still are the most recent figures provided in the table below by our Treasurer & Chief Financial Officer. His data indicates that the Brewer firm's invoices for 1st Quarter 2019 total more than $8.8 million - over $2.9 million per month - or $97,787 per day, seven days a week, every day of every month"

Second, the secrecy surrounding the Brewer firms' invoicing is alarming.
"We, and others have made multiple requests and recommendations for an outside, independent review of the Brewer firm's invoices. All of these requests have been denied."

Third, the Brewer firm's engagement letter is inconsistent with industry standards

Fourth, NRA's oversight of the Brewer firm is totally inconsistent with industry standards

Fifth, judges in cases in which the Brewer firm has been involved have determined that Mr. Brewer has engaged in improper unethical conduct and a Federal Judge in Virgina ejected him from representing the NRA in litigation.

Sixth, Mr. Brewer has been actively trying to stop an outside, independent review of his firm's invoices.

Seventh, the NRA Board of Directors has a fiduciary duty to oversee massive expenditures of NRA funds.


Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: Panther97 on May 12, 2019, 02:18:05 PM
with friends like these...
Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: go4 on May 12, 2019, 05:45:24 PM
And for all that $$$ members got what? Bump stock bans. Mag bans. Red flag laws. It’s not even compromise anymore. We get nothing in return, just more gun control. All while these people are throwing around money like they have the printing presses.

The “biggest and oldest 2a organization” lives like kings, accomplished nothing, and their “CRISIS” is losing non profit status? What a joke.
Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: masfonos on May 12, 2019, 07:58:57 PM
Losing 501c3 status would be the end of the NRA. That is, of course, the goal of the NY courts and pols who are trying to attack from this angle. There are a lot of people who want to see that and they're on both sides of the RKBA fight.

Trump is on Twitter spinning it as an attack by Andrew Cuomo and the NY AG:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1122837541084958725 "The NRA is under siege by Cuomo and the New York State A.G., who are illegally using the State’s legal apparatus to take down and destroy this very important organization, & others. It must get its act together quickly, stop the internal fighting, & get back to GREATNESS - FAST!" @realDonaldTrump 5:18 AM - 29 Apr 2019

I like a lot of what the President has done and is trying to do for our country but his hamhanded handling of gun rights issues and his track record on them (including historic AWB support, call for bumpstock review, not forming the 2A committee that he promised, etc) are not impressive. He's even actively attacked the NRA and now they're "very important". The NRA's track record is not that impressive either. WLP, "fudds", and other 2A compromisers and enemies within the organization have been a problem for a long time. I've given a lot to NRA and I'm not at all happy with how it's run, their lack of accomplishments, or any of this crap. I don't want to see the organization burn though. I just don't see how another (current) organization can fill their shoes, whatever those shoes are worth these days. They need to clear out the rotten core and become a true no-compromise defender of the Second Amendment. But based on what leadership has done to how the board is organized, I don't know how that can be done without burning it down.

I'd like to hear both sides of the story other than some random unverified leaked letters, but I'm sure that people in those types of positions have crisis management teams on hand to spin it to sound like it's OK. Maybe it's normal, maybe it's not. Members should DEMAND the audit that Ollie requested.
Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: Panther97 on May 13, 2019, 11:17:46 AM
NRA is a 501(c)4 org not 501(c)3.
Losing that status would be a huge blow and they would probably owe retroactive taxes on top.
I don't know if they could come back from that.

Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: LivingDeadGirl on May 13, 2019, 07:38:08 PM
So, the laboratory I work for has to perform a set number of internal audits per year at the local level, at minimum one audit from the corporate level per year, plus multiple third party audits to keep our laboratory certifications....why aren’t they already doing audits?

I almost feel like it’s going to come out that the NRA isn’t really the NRA.




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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 13, 2019, 09:20:38 PM
why aren’t they already doing audits?
Because the inner circle at the top appears to be robbing the organization blind? If I was using it as my personal piggy bank I'd try to keep any audits from happening. Oh, that's what he's doing.


Quote
I almost feel like it’s going to come out that the NRA isn’t really the NRA.
Like maybe it's run by a cabal of unconcerned (at best) or low key anti-gun (at worst) fifth column people like Wayne LaPierre that hang out with people like Harry Reid and give money to anti-gun law firms and pay $13k for 3 months of an apartment for some chick?  Couldn't be.


Then again, I'm not a rich executive of a major organization, so I don't know how much rich-guy stuff costs. Maybe a $40k charter plane and a $39k clothes shopping trip and $4k/month apartment for an intern is normal. Funneling it through AMc doesn't look good though. All of that pales in comparison to what they're paying Brewer though. That's what looks the worst. 3mil a month and they're not even involved in any major lawsuits that I know of.
Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show funny money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: MutantMaker on May 14, 2019, 08:56:29 AM
Is it going to come out the law firm is owned by one of the board members? 
NRA is the largest group out there, what other organizations are good and are actually pro-2A?
Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show funny money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 15, 2019, 12:10:13 AM
That kind of relationship hasn't come out yet, but I read that Brewer Attorneys & Counselors (the law firm getting $3,000,000 per month from NRA) is run by Bill Brewer who is the son in law of Angus McQueen who is the CEO of Ackerman McQueen (the company that employs most of the NRA faces and who is paying for all of WLP's shady stuff).

Also read something about how WLP got in trouble for using AMc for something so he outsourced it to some other company (Mirage, or Millennium, or something) and it turned out that they're a wholly owned subsidiary of AMc.

There's some kind of crazy relationship going on there.

https://www.am.com/our-team/?id=angus-mcqueen
https://www.brewerattorneys.com/

https://www.opensecrets.org/search?q=william+a+brewer+iii&type=donors
William A Brewer III donates money to democrat causess. A lot of money. To a lot of dem candidates. Like Hillary Clinton, Sheldon Whitehouse, the DNC, barack obama, dem PACs, and others. Many tens of thousands of dollars to dems and about 2k to GWB back in 1999.

https://www.opensecrets.org/search?q=angus+mcqueen&type=donors
Angus McQueen donates money to republican causes.

These guys are related but one of them is currently in a legal fight with NRA and one of them is getting $100,000 from NRA every single day.


Bickel & Brewer is apparently called Brewer Attorneys & Counselors now. William A Brewer III at BA&C: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamabrewer/ and John Bickel at B&B: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-bickel-5bba7410/. Clicking the B&B company on JBs profile goes to BA&C.

https://www.opensecrets.org/search?q=BICKEL%2C+JOHN&type=donors
John Bickel of B&B also donates money to democrat causes like Elizabeth Warren, Lone Star Fund, Dallas County Democrat Party, rapist Al Franken, hillary clinton, barack obama, democrat party of TX, Democratic Congressional Campaign cmte, John Edwards, Sheldon Whitehouse, and a lot more.

Their law firm is listed as a "top contributor" to a lot of democrat causes. https://www.opensecrets.org/search?q=BICKEL+%26+Brewer&type=orgs


WHY IN THE HELL IS THE NRA IN BED WITH THESE PEOPLE?
Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show funny money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: LivingDeadGirl on May 15, 2019, 12:34:36 AM
I feel like I’m in a South Park episode where obama and bush jr were really working together to go so far left they became right.


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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show funny money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 17, 2019, 08:24:08 AM
Now NRA is tweeting about dem presidential candidates declaring their "unwavering support for NRA and 2A"?  😠


(edit) after those tweets they say that it's gillebrand and call her a anti gun hypocrite. Ironic since they're calling her out for the quote about "banning guns for certain features" and they called for the bumpstock review.

(https://i.postimg.cc/JnGLHnJD/nradem.png)

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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show funny money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: LivingDeadGirl on May 19, 2019, 05:13:37 PM
I have a hard time believing gillebrand made those statements.   Hacked?


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Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show funny money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: 1slickAR15 on May 20, 2019, 10:44:55 AM
Who ever could have guessed that the NRA leaders aren't real RKBA activists?

Hardline U.S. 'gundamentalists' pressure NRA from within

(Reuters) - About 100 protesters, many wearing T-shirts emblazoned with 'NRA = Not Real Activists,' marched through the National Rifle Association's annual meeting in Dallas in May to slam the powerful gun lobby as too conciliatory on gun rights and rally for their candidate for the board.

Adam Kraut, a gun rights lawyer, fell about 4,000 votes short of the 71,000 needed for election, but earned 5,000 more than the previous year, a sign of the growth of the Second Amendment purists within the NRA known to many as 'gundamentalists.'

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-guns-nra/hardline-u-s-gundamentalists-pressure-nra-from-within-idUSKBN1KQ09H

Marion Hammer, a past president of the NRA and one of the group's most successful lobbyists, denounced unsanctioned candidates in a column on the website Ammoland just as Kraut appeared on the 2018 ballot. Though Hammer did not name Kraut, he was one of only two non-approved candidates to run.  "Once again the NRA is being threatened by the enemy within," Hammer wrote. "It is time to wake up and stop it before it begins."

DRAIN THE (NRA) SWAMP!  Marion Hammer is bad mounting board candidates for not wanting to compromise on the second amendment?!  This is EXACTLY why we need to vote new leadership into the NRA!


Obvious she's referring to Neal Knox 77 revolt. Without Knox the NRA would have still been a good ol' boys trap shooting club like they started out and like they always wanted. They've been crooked and spineless for half a century. This isn't news this is just the latest bit of meat for New York dems to try to get their teeth into.
Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show funny money stuff (bandwidth warning!)
Post by: masfonos on May 20, 2019, 05:03:03 PM
Adam Kraut and Chris and/or Jeff Knox (Neal Knox's sons) are members here. It would be interesting to hear their take on all this. Bet it wouldn't have the same spin as Hammer or LaPierre's. Not that anyone from the NRA inner circle are saying anything right now... you know, other than sending me more emails asking for money. Their silence is pretty loud. I guess they want people to draw their own conclusions.



ETA- A study guide:

Neal Knox: The Gun Rights War - Chris Knox's collection of his father's writing (http://gunlink.info/forums/index.php?topic=787.0)

Ackerman McQueen PR Firm has been behind NRAs Provocative Ads for Decades (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/ackerman-mcqueen-pr-firm-has-been-behind-nras-provocative-ads-for-decades/2013/02/13/fedb70b4-7155-11e2-ac36-3d8d9dcaa2e2_story.html)


How NRA’s true believers converted a marksmanship group into a mighty gun lobby (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-nras-true-believers-converted-a-marksmanship-group-into-a-mighty-gun-lobby/2013/01/12/51c62288-59b9-11e2-88d0-c4cf65c3ad15_story.html)

THE ENEMY WITHIN — MARION HAMMER’S REVISED NRA HISTORY. (https://firearmscoalition.org/the-enemy-within-marion-hammers-revised-nra-history/)
Title: Re: NRA response to recent controversy
Post by: TheHarleyB on May 23, 2019, 07:58:35 AM
"But it all happened a long time ago! He wore those clothes to work! He travelled for NRA! No, we don't want to talk about paying some guy $3MIL per month! kthxbye"

(https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/64724661/everything-is-ok.jpg)

An Important Message From Your NRA Leadership and Past Presidents


Dear Fellow NRA Member:

Since the NRA was founded almost 150 years ago, our adversaries have repeatedly tried to take us down. Today is no different. A recent burst of media claims the NRA is vulnerable, financially unstable, and weakened in its fight to defend the Second Amendment. Obviously intent on not letting the facts get in the way of a good story, most reports offer a distorted and inaccurate view of the NRA. As officers and past presidents of the NRA, we write today to set the record straight.

As you may know, we recently convened in Indianapolis for one of the largest NRA conventions in our history. More than 80,000 of our members showed up to gather as one NRA family - to support our Association and celebrate our nation's constitutional freedoms. During our annual Members Meeting on April 27, some asked for greater insight into three issues: the NRA's financial affairs, our direction and strategy, and the supervisory role being played by our board of directors. We had an open forum and spirited discussion.

Of course, our discussions were portrayed as a sort of family feud. (Infighting at the NRA - Chaos and Controversy!). At the NRA, we take pride in the fact that our Association is inclusive and invites the active participation of every member. Every member has an opportunity to voice any concern they may have at the Members Meeting. In fact, our greatest privilege is hearing from our members. Like many of you, that's why we were at the Members Meeting in the first place and spent countless hours on the convention floor.

Fact: During a board of directors meeting on April 29, Wayne LaPierre was elected by acclamation to continue serving as our CEO and Executive Vice President. The board also unanimously elected Carolyn D. Meadows to serve as our new president.

Perhaps looking for a way to counter the narrative about a stronger, more unified NRA, questions have now conveniently surfaced about our financial situation and our standing in the regulatory arena. There also have been frequent attacks on Wayne's personal character.

Fact: According to the NRA's chief financial officer, we are on budget in 2019. The NRA is meeting all banking and supplier financial obligations and we continue to aggressively manage our cost structure to offset the orchestrated and calculated attacks against NRA's finances in 2018. Put another way, our financial house is in order - we aren't going away.

We have full confidence in the NRA's accounting practices and commitment to good governance.

Fact: The Association's financials are audited and its tax filings are verified by one of the most reputable firms in the world. Internally, the Association has a conflict of interest policy and, where appropriate, related-party transactions are reviewed and approved by the board's Audit Committee.

Simply put, we are well-positioned on the regulatory front and poised to handle all challenges that confront us.

Personal attacks against the NRA's leaders are nothing new. Recent ones have focused on wardrobe purchases and travel expenses incurred by Wayne. If members hear of an allegation, they can be assured that it has been or will be addressed by the appropriate committees within our board of directors.

Fact: We have committees in place to oversee issues relating to Accounting, Legal Affairs, and Ethics, among others - and every board member is invited to attend these meetings. Please remember that all of us are elected by you - our members. We are not elected by Wayne or anyone on the NRA executive team. We serve as your elected representatives.

Fact: Over the years, Wayne had been advised by the NRA's advertising professionals to invest in his professional wardrobe due to his numerous public and media appearances. We understand that this was the same agency that facilitated the clothing purchases. What wasn't as evident in this "disclosure" is that the clothing expenses referenced in media reports dated back to expenses from 15 years ago! To put it in perspective, over this time period, Wayne has participated in thousands of events and hundreds of TV appearances, and personally directed fundraising efforts that total in the hundreds of millions of dollars. In any event, this practice was discontinued some time ago.

Fact: The vast majority of the travel in question involved donor outreach, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement. As an example, The Wall Street Journal reported that a trip to Italy was "tied to a 2015 documentary feature on the Italian gun maker posted on NRATV." Beretta, as you may know, is a major supporter of the NRA and our Second Amendment.

We are not inclined to further discuss unfounded attacks on our organization, political infighting, or a "weakened" NRA.

However, we will say this: Our adversaries will not divide us and any further discussion about the so-called "demise of the NRA" is only meant to distract us from our mission. This is how it goes when you stand on the bedrock of constitutional freedom - and represent the last line of defense against a campaign to take down the Second Amendment.

While board members may argue, and perhaps even disagree as to tactics, the support Wayne and the current leadership enjoys reflects our assessment of his past and future value to the association as well as our realization that our opponents know they have to take him down if they want to weaken the NRA.

As one NRA member recently said, the true story of the NRA won't be found in today's press clippings. It will be written in the history books.

Wayne has been standing shoulder-to-shoulder with all of us for most of his professional life. He has our support. A campaign to oust him failed - as the facts emerged, true motivations became apparent, and we agreed as to who should lead our fight for freedom. We are now moving forward.

Fact: We will confront our opponents, defend our values, and proudly continue our tradition as the greatest civil rights organization in the world.

Just like you, we care about the Second Amendment and our NRA. Just as you do, we know that our fights today are less for us and more for our children and our grandchildren. Just like you, we are all courageous foot soldiers in our fight for freedom. Every single one of us in this fight matters. The Second Amendment is where it is today because of all of OUR efforts. That's why you matter to our cause and our Association.

We are the NRA. United we stand. And together, we'll win.

Signed,

Carolyn D. Meadows
President

Charles L. Cotton
First Vice President

Lt. Col. Willes K. Lee USA (Ret)
Second Vice President

Allan D. Cors
Past President

James W. Porter
Past President

David A. Keene
Past President

Ronald L. Schmeits
Past President

John C. Sigler
Past President

Sandra S. Froman
Past President

Kayne B. Robinson
Past President

Marion P. Hammer
Past President

Robert K. Corbin
Past President
Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show funny money stuff :: UPDATE: NRA finally responds
Post by: go4 on May 23, 2019, 08:53:03 PM
FREEDOM’S SAFEST PLACE!  Must be dark there they can’t keep the lights on. Did you also get the email how they’re going to shut down any day now if you don’t send more money?

Put a fork in them.
Title: Re: Leaked NRA docs show funny money stuff :: UPDATE: NRA finally responds
Post by: TheHarleyB on June 20, 2019, 10:48:33 AM
Apparently Marion Hammer finally released a official statement a week ago:


The Truth Is Better Than Fiction
By MARION HAMMER

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly people believe distortions printed by the media -- particularly in their efforts to help the enemies of freedom and the Second Amendment and to try to destroy the NRA. Nor does it cease to amaze me how willing the media are to deliberately distort and mislead.

The Washington Post used legitimate expense reimbursements and recruiter payments to drive their narrative and pad their numbers to falsely cast aspersions on 18 board members and the NRA (the story can only be found behind the Post's paywall). It is a deliberate distortion and an orchestrated attempt to convey a false impression.   

The numbers weren’t extraordinary if one looks at it from a one-year perspective, so the Washington Post lumped three years of reports together to make the amounts look larger and more lucrative. That is the epitome of calculated treachery!     

Board members who are NRA recruiters get no special treatment. They, like all recruiters get the same commission that any recruiter receives. Yet the Washington Post makes it sound like they’re stealing or have some sweetheart deal. Some of these board members use their businesses to recruit members and they disclose it. Yet the Washington Post attacks them for serving the NRA – and for trying to get more people to sign up as NRA members.

Also included in the scurrilous attack are board-member reimbursements for travel at the NRA's request, for speaking engagements and appearances at events to which the NRA is requested to send a representative. Some board members make these trips and appearances at the NRA’s request because the officers and staff can’t do it all.

In addition to taking off from work and giving their time, perhaps the Post expects board members to pay for airline travel, lodging, meals and expenses out of their own pockets to travel for the NRA?

Board members’ legitimate expenses are being made to look sneaky by a publication that has no love for the Second Amendment, or the NRA. Are you going to fall for it? Or are you going to open your eyes and your mind?

Payments to board members are disclosed, in writing, at every NRA Annual Meeting.  Stacks of disclosure reports are put on a table along with other financial reports at the Annual Meeting of members and are available to members and the media. These reports are where they got the information they are distorting.

For the past few months, the media have trained their guns on the NRA and those of us within our movement. They are happily doing the bidding of Mike Bloomberg, Andrew Cuomo, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. 

The simple fact is that Second Amendment rights are the only means that citizens have to protect their ability to protect freedom from the enemies of America. Give up that right and you are no longer free. 



The whole post is at http://sunshinestatenews.com/story/truth-better-fiction