The National Rifle Association just lost one of its most famous board members.
In an email to the board obtained by The Reload, NRA general counsel John Frazer announced rock star Ted Nugent is stepping down from his role as a director. Frazer said the group thanked Nugent for his decades-long service on the board. He cited “ongoing schedule conflicts” as the reason Nugent would no longer serve.
“Longtime Board member Ted Nugent has informed us of his need to resign from the NRA Board due to ongoing schedule conflicts,” Frazer said. “President Meadows has regretfully accepted his resignation. Carolyn, Wayne, and all of the NRA’s officers thank Ted for his service to the Association and wish him well in his new endeavors.”
Nugent did not respond to a request for comment on his resignation.
The rocker, best known for the 1977 hit “Cat Scratch Fever,” has periodically created controversies with racy or outrageous comments during his lengthy tenure on the board. He also delved into the NRA’s internal fighting after allegations of financial impropriety by top executives, including CEO Wayne LaPierre, surfaced before the group’s 2019 annual meeting. He said the group needed reform and better accountability moving forward.
“We need total transparency and accountability to the only important element of the NRA, and that is the ‘We The People’ membership,” he said in an interview at the time. “I promise to deliver that. ”
He called on the board to “open all the books” and make sure members’ dollars were “being spent effectively” after charges LaPierre and others spent millions on personal expenses, such as private flights and luxurious trips.
“When I go on tour, if I make $5 million, I can’t spend $10 million,” Nugent said. “It’s all a resounding ‘duh.’ Accountability in the most important civil rights organization in the world, that’s why I’m on the board.”
Frazer told the board members that Robert Wos, who previously served on the board, would be brought in to replace Nugent until the 2021 Annual Meeting of Members in September.
6 Responses
I’m with Ted, and a Life Endowment member, Open the damn books, La Pierre…what are you hiding?
I resigned last year. LaPierre’s luxury travel, clothing allowance, salary and retirement allowance is simply a disgrace. Along with the constant emails to send more and more money to support LaPierre’s crony law firm. I’ll re-up when he’s gone.
The rule is, “If you want to destroy the [organization]
you need to lead the [organization].”
Ted Nugent has done nothing for NRA other than plug them on his own shows. He shows up at NRA’s Annual Meeting just to sign his own books. He’s just another grifter in the NRA hierarchy. I worked for NRA for 25 years. If Nugent attended 5 board meetings during that time I’d be surprised. If there’s nothing in it for Ted, he’s not interested.
I signed up. Got my Chinese cap. Membership lapsed. Done.
Did the same, tired of the boys getting fat off our annual membership $$$