The NRA is imploding from greed and nepotism

[Anonymous]

Fascinating article that explores how greed and nepotism are killing the NRA from the inside.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/secrecy-self-dealing-and-greed-at-the-nra

“The N.R.A. and Ackerman have become so intertwined that it is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. Top officials and staff move freely between the two organizations; Oliver North, the former Iran-Contra operative, who now serves as the N.R.A.’s president, is paid roughly a million dollars a year through Ackerman, according to two N.R.A. sources. But this relationship, which in many ways has built the contemporary N.R.A., seems also to be largely responsible for the N.R.A.’s dire financial state. According to interviews and to documents that I obtained—federal tax forms, charity records, contracts, corporate filings, and internal communications—a small group of N.R.A. executives, contractors, and venders has extracted hundreds of millions of dollars from the nonprofit’s budget, through gratuitous payments, sweetheart deals, and opaque financial arrangements. ”

“Marc Owens, who served for ten years as the head of the Internal Revenue Service division that oversees tax-exempt enterprises, recently reviewed these records. “The litany of red flags is just extraordinary,” he said. “The materials reflect one of the broadest arrays of likely transgressions that I’ve ever seen. There is a tremendous range of what appears to be the misuse of assets for the benefit of certain venders and people in control.” Owens added, “Those facts, if confirmed, could lead to the revocation of the N.R.A.’s tax-exempt status”—without which the organization could likely not survive.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fascinating article that explores how greed and nepotism are killing the NRA from the inside.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/secrecy-self-dealing-and-greed-at-the-nra

“The N.R.A. and Ackerman have become so intertwined that it is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. Top officials and staff move freely between the two organizations; Oliver North, the former Iran-Contra operative, who now serves as the N.R.A.’s president, is paid roughly a million dollars a year through Ackerman, according to two N.R.A. sources. But this relationship, which in many ways has built the contemporary N.R.A., seems also to be largely responsible for the N.R.A.’s dire financial state. According to interviews and to documents that I obtained—federal tax forms, charity records, contracts, corporate filings, and internal communications—a small group of N.R.A. executives, contractors, and venders has extracted hundreds of millions of dollars from the nonprofit’s budget, through gratuitous payments, sweetheart deals, and opaque financial arrangements. ”

“Marc Owens, who served for ten years as the head of the Internal Revenue Service division that oversees tax-exempt enterprises, recently reviewed these records. “The litany of red flags is just extraordinary,” he said. “The materials reflect one of the broadest arrays of likely transgressions that I’ve ever seen. There is a tremendous range of what appears to be the misuse of assets for the benefit of certain venders and people in control.” Owens added, “Those facts, if confirmed, could lead to the revocation of the N.R.A.’s tax-exempt status”—without which the organization could likely not survive.”

Congress should investigate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fascinating article that explores how greed and nepotism are killing the NRA from the inside.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/secrecy-self-dealing-and-greed-at-the-nra

“The N.R.A. and Ackerman have become so intertwined that it is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. Top officials and staff move freely between the two organizations; Oliver North, the former Iran-Contra operative, who now serves as the N.R.A.’s president, is paid roughly a million dollars a year through Ackerman, according to two N.R.A. sources. But this relationship, which in many ways has built the contemporary N.R.A., seems also to be largely responsible for the N.R.A.’s dire financial state. According to interviews and to documents that I obtained—federal tax forms, charity records, contracts, corporate filings, and internal communications—a small group of N.R.A. executives, contractors, and venders has extracted hundreds of millions of dollars from the nonprofit’s budget, through gratuitous payments, sweetheart deals, and opaque financial arrangements. ”

“Marc Owens, who served for ten years as the head of the Internal Revenue Service division that oversees tax-exempt enterprises, recently reviewed these records. “The litany of red flags is just extraordinary,” he said. “The materials reflect one of the broadest arrays of likely transgressions that I’ve ever seen. There is a tremendous range of what appears to be the misuse of assets for the benefit of certain venders and people in control.” Owens added, “Those facts, if confirmed, could lead to the revocation of the N.R.A.’s tax-exempt status”—without which the organization could likely not survive.”

Congress should investigate.

It sounds as corrupt as the GOP.

[Anonymous]

The Republicans have castrated the IRS. So the NRA can engage in whatever shenanigans it wants without fear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Republicans have castrated the IRS. So the NRA can engage in whatever shenanigans it wants without fear.

for now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Republicans have castrated the IRS. So the NRA can engage in whatever shenanigans it wants without fear.

501(c)3 tax exemption is not even supposed to be allowed for organizations engaging in overtly political activities. I think Congress needs to exercise its oversight authority and step in and make clear that overtly political organizations like the NRA cannot hold tax-exempt status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Republicans have castrated the IRS. So the NRA can engage in whatever shenanigans it wants without fear.

501(c)3 tax exemption is not even supposed to be allowed for organizations engaging in overtly political activities. I think Congress needs to exercise its oversight authority and step in and make clear that overtly political organizations like the NRA cannot hold tax-exempt status.

Except that the GOP has been controlling Congress for most of the last decade. So...we have the situation we have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Republicans have castrated the IRS. So the NRA can engage in whatever shenanigans it wants without fear.

501(c)3 tax exemption is not even supposed to be allowed for organizations engaging in overtly political activities. I think Congress needs to exercise its oversight authority and step in and make clear that overtly political organizations like the NRA cannot hold tax-exempt status.

Except that the GOP has been controlling Congress for most of the last decade. So...we have the situation we have.

Yes. The GOP believes it’s above the law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Republicans have castrated the IRS. So the NRA can engage in whatever shenanigans it wants without fear.

501(c)3 tax exemption is not even supposed to be allowed for organizations engaging in overtly political activities. I think Congress needs to exercise its oversight authority and step in and make clear that overtly political organizations like the NRA cannot hold tax-exempt status.

Except that the GOP has been controlling Congress for most of the last decade. So...we have the situation we have.

Yes. The GOP believes it’s above the law.

It’s not just the GOP. Most of congress takes money from shady groups who are tax exempt. They can’t turn off the spigot.

[Anonymous]

Who or what is Ackerman?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who or what is Ackerman?

If only OP had posted a link to the article where you could read it for yourself. Oh, wait...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who or what is Ackerman?

The for-profit PR/media company that is deeply embedded in the NRA and has maybe been overcharging and overstepping many lines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Republicans have castrated the IRS. So the NRA can engage in whatever shenanigans it wants without fear.

501(c)3 tax exemption is not even supposed to be allowed for organizations engaging in overtly political activities. I think Congress needs to exercise its oversight authority and step in and make clear that overtly political organizations like the NRA cannot hold tax-exempt status.

Except that the GOP has been controlling Congress for most of the last decade. So...we have the situation we have.

Yes. The GOP believes it’s above the law.

It’s not just the GOP. Most of congress takes money from shady groups who are tax exempt. They can’t turn off the spigot.

Yeah, like the millions that McConnell and other Republicans have gotten from Putin-connected oligarchs.

[Anonymous]

Big news day in the NRA. Butina was sentenced. And then all of this other stuff:

Wayne LaPierre says NRA President Oliver North is extorting him and pressuring him to resign as CEO over allegations of financial improprieties
https://www.wsj.com/articles/nras-wayne-lapierre-says-he-is-being-extorted-pressured-to-resign-11556314763?redirect=amp#click=https://t.co/ToqfIFKi5U

NRA goes after its own president in court, accusing Ollie North of financial double-dipping and more.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/nra-takes-a-shot-in-court-at-ollie-north-its-own-president-in-court

An object was thrown onto the stage (seen in the bottom right of this video) as President Trump came up to speak to the NRA in Indiana; the president continued with his speech
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna998951#click=https://t.co/EX5y6i7NHp

[Anonymous]

Love it!