Save the Second Podcast

The NRA BoD Winter meeting is this week, Saturday January 11th, 2020 with committee meetings starting on Tuesday. We need the NRA to be overhauled and we need our Directors to do it!!! Please join us in imploring the NRA directors to hold the NRA leadership accountable.

Two special guests discuss Second Amendment culture, the NRA and more!

NRA’s Financial Challenges

December 17th - Fox Business News - “NRA spends on foreign fundraising amid financial challenges.”

December 16th - Open Secrets.org - “Cash-strapped NRA discloses spending on foreign fundraising for first time”

“Member dues fell to their lowest level in five years in 2017, as reported by The New York Times, a year in which it lost $55 million in income. The Washington Post reported that the group had a $10.8 million shortfall in 2018 as well.” - Fox Business News

“NRA drains charities, pays for PAC - For the NRA, charity begins at home. The NRA, which is set up as 501(c)(4) social welfare nonprofit, rakes in money from its charitable affiliates while footing bills for its PAC with no sign of reimbursement. Although affiliated charities reimburse the NRA millions of dollars for various expenses, federal campaign finance records for the NRA’s Political Victory Committee show no sign of reimbursements to the NRA.” - Open Secrets  

“NRA ‘School Safety Initiative’ Was Front to Increase Fundraising” 

“In an amended counterclaim filed in Texas federal court in November, the NRA’s former ad agency—Ackerman McQueen—says that the gun lobby used School Shield as a “shell” program that it did not intend to meaningfully execute.” - Via Daily Beast on December 5th

NRATV Wanted to Become a 24/7 Newsroom Using NRA Funds: Ex-Host

ex-host Grant Stinchfield claimed in an affidavit filed last week that now-defunct NRATV streaming platform once had aspirations to be a full-fledged news operation. -The Daily Beast

“In the final 18 months, AMc representatives progressively discovered that LaPierre and his executive team, with the board’s oversight and approval, were marketing false products and narratives to NRA members, covering up sexual harassment, attempting to intimidate public officials, disrupting internal investigations about Russia, spending member money for personal benefit and more,” the ad firm further railed against NRA in a statement last month.

Newsweek - The Oklahoma-based firm, Ackerman McQueen, told Newsweek Tuesday that it would counter allegations from Grant Stinchfield, the former host of a self-titled NRATV program, with its own "legal action" against him. Ackerman claims that Stinchfield, who served as host from 2016 until July, provided "inaccurate information under oath" in an affidavit that was filed earlier this month in the NRA's federal lawsuit against the firm.

New York attorney general intensifies investigation into the NRA

“The New York attorney general's office is intensifying its investigation into the National Rifle Association, recently issuing a new, wide-ranging subpoena to the gun rights organization that offers hints at where the high-profile probe is moving, a person familiar with the document told NBC News.” - Via NBC News on December 11th

Outdoor Wire - “The questions seem to frame a simple theme: despite claims otherwise, the 76-member Board -with a few exceptions (more on that in a second)- was both ignorant and powerless. And those few exceptions followed - and continue to follow - the marching orders issued by Wayne LaPierre.”

Outdoor Wire - “As many as 90 current and former Board members have apparently been told they face possible indictments in New York. Potential charges range from breach of fiduciary duty to tax fraud.”

Wayne LaPierre’s NYTimes Interview

December 18th - NYTimes “Inside Wayne LaPierre’s Battle for the N.R.A. - 

How an internal power struggle, a New York State investigation and accusations of fraud and betrayal on all sides have left the longtime leader of the gun-rights organization reeling.”

Wayne LaPierre, “If I lose every friend,” he said, “I’m prepared to do it.”

“My attitude was, stay away from her,” LaPierre said, but he did not aggressively intervene, even as Butina coordinated a 2015 N.R.A. trip to Moscow. “I saw this itinerary that somebody had,” LaPierre recalled. “It’s got all of these meetings with this guy — what are they

Welcome to Episode 13 of the Save the Second Podcast. Today is Sunday, December 8th, 2019! 17 Days before Christmas!Special guest:

Derek LeBlanc - Kids S.A.F.E.  Foundation - https://kidssafefoundation.org

Thanksgiving week! 

Challenge to find the NRA President holding a firearm.

NRA training.

Hunting.

Norway.

Welcome to Episode 11 of the Save the Second Podcast. Today is Sunday, November 17th, 2019! In this episode we’ll discuss:Holdmyguns.org with Special Guest Genevieve Jones,

Wanye LaPierre’s outrageous 2018 paycheck,

How you can join us in reforming the NRA,

And more!

Joining us today is Rob PincusWe have a special guest today, Hold My Guns VP Geneivive Jones!   

My name is Ron Carter Welcome. 

The story about Wayne LaPierre’s massive 2018 paycheck broke on Friday evening. It was reported by the Washington Post, NY Times, Wall Street Journal,

57% increase to $2.15 million by WP

55% increase to $2.20 million by WSJ

According to a 2016 Charity Navigator study, the average nonprofit CEO makes a little more than $123,362 a year. That is only 5% of WLP’s 2018 paycheck reported by the WSJ.

If you exclude federally funded nonprofits and medical (hospitals) nonprofits, I cannot find a nonprofit CEO that is paid higher than WLP.https://onlygunsandmoney.com/2019/11/16/his-contributions-to-the-nra-have-been-transformative.html

NRA paid Brewer $13.8 Million, that had been claimed to be much more by Oliver North.

Welcome to Episode 10 of the Save the Second Podcast. Today is Sunday, November 10rd, 2019 - Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps! In this episode we’ll discuss:

Monday’s WSJ Article about LaPierre’s Lavish Travel… 

NRA drops lawsuit against SF Board

Oversight Subcommittees Refer NRA Leadership’s Alleged Financial Fraud for Investigation

BoD election candidates 2020.

Main Subject

Monday’s WSJ Article about Lavish Travel“Inside the NRA, accountants were instructed to pay travel bills from her company without the usual detailed supporting documentation, which was held in a private file in the NRA’s treasurer’s office, said people familiar with the matter. The bills totaled about $2 million in one recent year, according to one of these people.”

“Ms. Stanford was paid in two ways by the NRA. She operates her business from her Woodland Hills, Calif., home, using a company called Inventive Incentives and Insurance Services Inc., or II & IS, which billed the gun-rights group directly.”

“At the same time she was providing services to the NRA, Ms. Stanford was involved in a side business that allegedly defrauded small-business owners out of money, according to a 2009 lawsuit by the Texas attorney general.”

“Elizabeth Kingsley, an attorney in Washington, D.C., who advises nonprofits, questioned the NRA’s arrangement with Ms. Stanford. “If I’m on a board spending substantial amounts of money on private jet travel for our CEO because of security concerns, yet we’re working with alleged fraudsters, it doesn’t add up,” she said.”

“Mr. Stanford himself is a felon. He pleaded guilty in 1990 to federal charges of participating in an oil-well investment fraud and served a brief time in prison, records show. He didn’t respond to calls seeking comment.”

 

NRA drops lawsuit against SF BoardWhy did that take a month of billable hours? SF conceded on Oct 1st. 

Who is calling the shots? Brewer?

Different law firm, “Instead they used Las Vegas based Garman Turner Gordon as their attorney on the ground and Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors, as “of counsel”.”

Both sides are now claiming victory in the lawsuit.

Oversight Subcommittees Refer NRA Leadership’s Alleged Financial Fraud for Investigation - Oct16According to public reports and the NRA’s tax filings, 18 of the 76 members of the board—nearly a quarter—received payments during the past three years from the 501(c)(4) that they oversee.  These reported payments include the following:

 

$610,000 to board member and former president Marion Hammer for consulting and lobbying services;

$255,000 to board member Lance Olson for fundraising and outreach;

$400,000 to board member Dave Butz for firearms training and outreach;

$28,750 to board member Bart Skelton for contributing to NRA publications;

$50,000 and $23,500 to companies affiliated with board member Ted Nugent and former board member Craig Morgan, respectively, for musical performances; and

$3.1 million in sales made to the NRA Foundation by Crow Shooting Supply, formerly led by former board member and former president Pete Brownell.

 

NRA’s back yard goes fully anti-gun 

NRA BoD Candidates 2020 Who is on the ballot? 26 of 39 are currently on the BoD. - 66%

4 of the 13 not currently on the BoD have been before! 

2 candidates running by petition of the members soley. 

37 of 39 by nominating committee

One candidate running by petition not having served previously on the Bod - Frank Tait

3 Directors w/Terms expiring on the BoD and not on the ballot: Lance Olson, Heidi Washington and Melanie Pepper.

33% would be ineligible if our Term Limit Bylaw Amendment Proposal by petition is ratified.

https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2019/11/10/us/ap-us-nra-big-donors.html

A Well Regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. 

For us at Save the Second; loving, honoring, enjoying and personally upholding the Second Amendment is who we are. Reforming the NRA is what we do. Second Amendment supporters need the NRA to be at its best. Right now, not next week. Not next year, not in 2021. Now, obviously, it is far from at its best. The NRA is in a discouraging and horrifying state, currently. The reforms that need to happen will not happen without your help. You must be involved. You must be engaged! In order for the NRA to be strong, relevant, effective and accountable, we must reform the NRA leadership and bylaws, reduce the amount of absurd wasteful expenditures, and refocus the NRA on the primary task of providing firearms training and education and protecting the Second Amendment. It is not what the Second Amendment can do for you, it is what you can do for the Second Amendment. Similarly, it is not what the NRA can do for you, it is what you can do for your NRA.

Welcome to Episode 9 of the Save the Second Podcast. Today is Sunday, November 3rd, 2019. In this episode we’ll discuss:

Ackerman McQueen Counter Claim

Another NRA director resigns

Yesterday’s 2A Rally in DC

And how you can be involved

In this episode: 

The 76in76 round two.

Term Limit Bylaw Amendment Petitions  

NRA Director and NYSPRA President Tom King

“To state the facts frankly is not to despair the future nor indict the past. The prudent heir takes careful inventory of his legacies and gives a faithful accounting to those whom he owes an obligation of trust.” - John F. Kennedy