Members’ Newsletter: The New Gun-Rights Policy Trend
Plus, law professor Jonathan Adler joins the podcast to explain the new Supreme Court ‘ghost gun’ case.
Plus, law professor Jonathan Adler joins the podcast to explain the new Supreme Court ‘ghost gun’ case.
As the NRA searches for new leadership in the wake of Wayne LaPierre’s resignation, one board member suggests a big-name replacement: Donald Trump Jr. After longtime leader Wayne LaPierre announced his resignation, Bill Bachenberg emailed his fellow NRA board members to suggest fixes for some of the group’s problems. One of those problems is who could fill LaPierre’s shoes. Bachenberg, a prominent Pennsylvania Trump supporter who has been accused of trying to fabricate evidence Joe Biden stole the 2020 election and helped arrange a Trump 2024 rally earlier this month, told the other board member’s Trump’s eldest son has previously expressed interest in a leadership role at the NRA. He offered to pitch Jr. on stepping into LaPierre’s place. “A couple of years back Don Trump Jr contacted me if NRA was looking for a National Spokesperson, he saw the need,” Bachenberg wrote in a February 26th email obtained by The Reload. “He did preface, ‘I don’t want to deal with any of the operational bullshit.’ I’m not sure what he would say today, but when the time is right I can ask him if he might be interested if requested by the board.” The Trump takeover suggestion comes as the beleaguered gun-rights group struggles to determine a path forward after years of fighting financial corruption allegations culminated in LaPierre quitting just before a New York jury found the NRA failed to safeguard its charitable asserts and the former leader is liable for millions in damages. The group is now searching for new leadership even as the sentencing phase of that trial and the possibility the court could appoint financial and operations monitors hang over it. The chaos and court fight, which the NRA has decried as politically motivated, have led to a huge decline in membership. However, it hasn’t broken the close relationship between the group and former president Trump, who spoke at the NRA’s outdoor show in January. The NRA has enjoyed a strong bond with the former president ever since it was the first significant group to back his successful 2016 presidential bid. Trump’s sons, who are avid hunters and gun collectors, were instrumental in creating that connection. Trump Jr. has attended many NRA events and worked closely with Chris Cox, who headed the NRA’s lobbying arm during most of the Trump presidency. It’s unclear if Trump Jr. is still interested in replacing LaPierre as NRA Executive Vice President (EVP) and CEO, though. Andrew Surbian, his spokesman, did not respond to a request for comment. Trump Jr. also formed his own competing gun-rights group called the Second Amendment Task Force in 2022. However, that group doesn’t appear to have any operations in 2024. The group’s website claims it is a 501(c)4 non-profit, but it doesn’t list any tax filings on its website. It lists Trump Jr. as its chairman and the only member of its team. The donate link on its website redirects to a WinRed page, a popular fundraising platform among Republicans, but it only contains
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