Judge Bars Former NRA Chief Wayne LaPierre from Office, Denies Outside Monitor

by Pooja Chauhan · 29/07/2024

In a mixed ruling, a New York judge barred former NRA chief Wayne LaPierre from serving as an officer for 10 years but declined to impose an outside monitor on the gun rights group.

New York, Bollywood Fever: A New York state judge has decided against imposing an outside monitor for the National Rifle Association (NRA), handing a victory to the gun rights group, while banning former chief Wayne LaPierre from serving as an NRA officer or director for 10 years.

Justice Joel Cohen of the Manhattan Supreme Court issued the ruling on Monday, marking a mixed outcome for state Attorney General Letitia James in her four-year-old civil case against the NRA.

Judge Bars Former NRA Chief Wayne LaPierre from Office, Denies Outside Monitor

Cohen ruled without a jury following the second stage of the trial. In the first stage, jurors in February found LaPierre and others liable for years of financial mismanagement, including financing an extravagant lifestyle for LaPierre that involved luxury travel and expensive clothing. The jury ordered LaPierre to repay $4.35 million to the NRA and retired finance chief Wilson Phillips to repay $2 million.

James stated that the judge directed both sides to negotiate governance changes that could lead to the NRA shrinking its board and making it easier for candidates to seek board seats.

The attorney general sued the NRA in August 2020 under her authority to oversee non-profits registered in New York. She alleged that the group was plagued by greed, lax oversight, and cronyism designed to enrich and entrench insiders.

“After years of corruption, the NRA and its senior leaders are finally being held accountable,” James said following Cohen’s decision.

The NRA had long viewed the lawsuit as political payback because James, a Democrat, opposed the group’s stance. Founded in 1871, the NRA has seen its influence wane in recent years, including within the Republican Party, as membership and revenue declined.

“We recognize the importance of the jury’s findings and will continue our commitment to good governance,” NRA President Bob Barr said after Monday’s decision.

A lawyer for LaPierre did not immediately respond to requests for comment. LaPierre, 74, led the NRA for over three decades before resigning in January, just days before the trial’s first stage. He and the group often adopted contrary legal positions in court, although both were defendants.