Author: David Sherfinski / Source: The Washington Times
INDIANAPOLIS — The National Rifle Association, which began its annual meeting last week with optimism and enthusiasm, leaves Indianapolis amid unprecedented chaos, with President Oliver North announcing his abrupt departure and new legal scrutiny of the group’s finances and inner workings.
Mr. North was decrying the “disarm America” movement to an adoring crowd on Friday, but on Saturday he was announcing — by proxy — that he would no longer be the group’s president after tensions with Wayne LaPierre, the group’s executive vice president, boiled over.
Even board members were left talking in apocalyptic tones.
“Every day has been a surprise, OK?” said Joel Friedman, an NRA board member from Nevada. “What’s absolute today may not be absolute tomorrow. … The only thing that’s guaranteed in life is we’ll all die one day.”
The NRA’s board of directors is slated to meet Monday to discuss next steps, and rank-and-file members said they want answers after Mr. North said he was concerned that alleged financial improprieties by top NRA officials could endanger the group’s coveted nonprofit status.
That fear was further fueled when New York Attorney General Letitia James launched an investigation into the group in the middle of the four-day convention.
“There is seemingly some infighting, and as a member I just want to get to the truth of what are the issues, what is the financial misfeasance and what conflicts exist, and then I think we can internally address them to the extent there are any,” said Joshua Prince, a lawyer from Pennsylvania.
First Vice President Richard Childress stunned members over the weekend when he read a letter from Mr. North in which the retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel announced he was effectively stepping away from his position.
In the letter, Mr. North cited a series of news stories alleging financial mismanagement by senior NRA officers. He said he tried to raise concerns but was rebuffed.
“If true, the NRA’s nonprofit status is threatened,” said Mr. North, who was announced as the group’s president last May. “There is a clear crisis — it needs to be dealt with immediately and responsibly so the NRA can continue to focus on protecting our Second Amendment.”
An explosive conflict between Mr. North, a TV host who rose to prominence after his involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal and retains strong support among conservatives, and Mr. LaPierre had been simmering.
Mr. LaPierre said in a letter to board members that Mr. North and Ackerman McQueen, the group’s longtime advertising firm, were threatening to release allegedly damaging information about the group if Mr. LaPierre did not resign from his position.
He countered that Ackerman was paying Mr. North millions of dollars annually — the position of NRA president is typically unpaid — and said the NRA only wanted to know what it was getting out of…
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