Mainstream news reports from August, 2018 suggested that the NRA could face bankruptcy.
This just two years after it donated a whopping $70 million on President Trump's election
campaign. How could the gun rights organization, in existence for nearly 150 years, go
from riches to rags in just two years?
Proof of Collusion
Seth Abramson, in his book, Proof of Collusion, devotes an entire chapter to the
connection between Russian operatives and the NRA, from 2013 to 2017. To summarize the
following paragraphs, Abramson spells out for us certain flashpoints in the time between
the 2012 and 2016 presidential election cycles a Russian effort to get Trump into the
White House and well connected with the Kremlin. Elsewhere in his book he identifies
Trump's desire to build a Trump Tower in Moscow; Abramson will show the intersection of
Trump's business and political aspirations.
Starting in early 2013, a wealthy Russian politician with ties to Russia's intelligence
apparatus named Alexsandr Torshin, and a young Russian woman named Maria Butina begin work
to create a back channel link between the Kremlin and Republican Party leadership by
infiltrating the National Rifle Association. Their scheme involves making social connections
with powerful NRA members and GOP operatives, and engineering very generous support to the
Trump campaign. (p. 81)
The 24 year-old Butina seduces Paul Erickson, an influential GOP operative and NRA member,
who is 30 years her senior. Before long, she's living with him, and he is paying many of her
expenses (p.82). By the fall, Butina has been introduced to NRA President David Keene, and
Keene is hosted in Moscow that November. Keene is also editor of the opinion pages for the
Washington Times, and publishes an essay by Torshin. Over the following year,
Torshin and Butina attend multiple NRA functions. In 2015, Torshin has made Trump's
acquaintance at the NRA national conference in Nashville, Tennessee, and by the close of the
year has hosted two dinners in Moscow for NRA A-listers and "influential Russian government
and business figures" (p. 86). Separately, Butina, in attendance at the "Freedom Fest" event
in Las Vegas, actually asks Candidate Trump about his position on relations with Putin and
Russia in a televised Q&A session.
By the close of 2015, it's become clear that the Russians expect Trump to lift economic
sanctions against Russia, and are dangling a giant carrot in front of him: Trump Tower Moscow.
"[U]nless Trump wins the presidency and removes U.S. sanctions on Russia, he will not be able
to get the money [secured for the Trump Tower project]" (p.86).
2016 — Election year:
In 2016, the annual NRA conference is held in Louisville, Kentucky, and once again Torshin
and Butina attend. A few days before the conference, Butina's boyfriend, Erickson, writes
Trump campaign aide Rick Dearborn to inform the Trump campaign that the Kremliin is
"quietly but actively seeking a dialog with the United States that isn't forthcoming
under the current administration," adding that "the Kremlin believes that the only
possibility of a true reset in this relationship would be with a new Republican in the
White House." Erickson notes that Torshin will attempt to make "first contact" with the
Trump campaign at the NRA convention.... At the same time Torshin approaches Dearborn
through Erickson, he also uses Rick Clay, whom the New York Times describes as
"an advocate for conservative Christian causes," to get the same message to Dearborn:
Putin wants to meet with Trump, and Torshin wants to meet with Trump first to set up
the meeting. (p. 87)
Finally, Abramson closes the chapter by quoting an e-mail that Erickson wrote on October
4, 2016, stating in part: "I've been involved in securing a VERY private line of
communication between the Kremlin and key [GOP] leaders through, of all conduits, the
NRA" (p.89).
In summary, Torshin and Butina, working in league with the Kremlin, were able to
infiltrate the NRA, use NRA and GOP members to use their contacts within the Trump
campaign to communicate messages from the Kremlin, and actually make direct contact
with the candidate himself. In Butina's plea deal (reached December, 2018), Butina
"agreed and conspired, with a Russian government official and at least
one other person, for Butina to act in the United States under the direction of
[That Russian official]." 1 The Russian official
is likely Torshin.
So, what about the money?
NRA expenditures on the 2016 presidential primaries and general election were far
higher than the NRA initially reported — and eventually reach and exceed $70 million,
according to a McClatchy report in January 2018.... Massive spending by the NRA and
the RNC on Trump's behalf make it possible for him to abandon his self-funding
promise from the primary and nevertheless be adequately funded for the general
election. In the end, the NRA spends more than the billionaire Trump does on his own
election.... As noted by Vanity Fair in June 2018, "The FBI and special
counsel Robert Mueller are investigating meetings between NRA officials and powerful
Russian operatives, trying to determine if those contacts had anything to do with
the gun group spending $30 million [in direct support] to help elect Donald Trump...
The use of foreign money in American political campaigns is illegal (pp. 88-89)
2
Funding in Decline
A November 2018 article in The Hill stated that 2017 income at the NRA
was down $55MM, about 15%, from the previous year. 3 Donations had
dropped $27MM and annual dues contributions dropped a whopping $35MM — over 20% --
from the previous year.
Additionally, NBC News reported that the non-profit finished TY2016
with a $45MM loss.4
I could accept the argument that donations were down, because 2016 was an election
year. But the thing I find surprising was that its annual dues contributions dropped
by a fifth. That seems to me to indiate they lost a lot of members following the elections.
Well, perhaps they have. An AXIOS report from March, 2018 indicated that
the NRA is now seen more negatively, particularly given the tragedies
involving automatic and semiautomatic weapons at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas
(October, 2017), Sutherland Springs, Texas (November, 2017), and at a high school in
Parkland, Florida (February 2018).5 The report suggested
that 40% of Americans now viewed the NRA negatively, with a 15% decline in favorability
among white women.
On its surface, the decline in membership seems much more related to domestic gun
violence than Russian campaign interference, with three tragedies in five months and
all involving AR-15's. The most notable of these events, in terms of public outrage,
was probably the Parkland shooting.
Parkland Backlash
The Parkland shootings became particularly significant for the NRA because public
sentiment became very negative. Following the incident at the high school, several
companies terminated their relationships with the NRA:
Among those cutting ties with the NRA were the car rental groups Enterprise, Hertz,
Avis and Budget; the insurance giant MetLife; the software firm Symantec; and the
Boston-based home security company SimpliSafe. Delta and United also said in
statements Saturday that they will no longer offer travel discounts for the NRA.
Each airline asked that related information be removed from the NRA website.
6
But these are nothing compared to the actions taken by New York Governor Andrew
Cuomo.
In April, 2018, Cuomo ordered the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS),
which regulates all banking and insurance companies doing business in New York,
to "to urge insurance companies, New York State-chartered banks, and other
financial services companies licensed in New York to review any relationships they
may have with the National Rifle Association and other similar organizations. Upon
this review, the companies are encouraged to consider whether such ties harm their
corporate reputations and jeopardize public safety."
7
According to NBC News reporting:
Then the DFS went after companies that did business with the NRA, fining Lockton
Companies and Chubb for underwriting the NRA’s "Carry Guard" insurance, which the
agency said unlawfully covered gun owners’ "acts of intentional wrongdoing."
(The NRA says the program covers members’ expenses "arising out of the lawful
self-defense use of a legally possessed firearm.")
The NRA said in a recent court filing that New York state’s campaign to push
insurance companies and banks to cut ties with the organization had already
cost it "tens of millions of dollars" this year and could ultimately make it
"unable to exist as a not-for-profit or pursue its advocacy mission." Unless
the courts step in and stop New York, "the NRA will suffer irrevocable loss
and irreparable harm if it is unable to acquire insurance or other financial
services," the group said in a complaint submitted in federal court on July 20.
4
My Conclusion
The hard times at the NRA appear chiefly connected with the episodes of gun
violence that occurred between late 2017 and early 2018. During that period and
the months that followed, the NRA brand suffered in terms of popularity, and in
financial terms as numerous companies severed ties with the venerable non-profit
either as a function of pressure brought by private citizens over social media
or as a function of pressure from the Governor of New York through its state
agencies.
I was unaware of the connection of the NRA to the Kremlin until I read about
it in Proof of Collusion. I admit I was spellbound by Abramson's
recounting of these events. I would love to know how much money the Russians
poured into the NRA's coffers, and how much of it was among the $70MM the
organization spent to support the Trump campaign (read: how much the NRA
laundered). Perhaps we will see a full accounting when the Special Counsel
releases its final report.
How do I feel about the NRA going under? I feel bad for the private citizens
who are firearm owners, because I feel NRA membership probably offers something
of value to them. I'm talking about the Average Joes who take their pistols down
to the range every so often and put ordnance on a big paper target. The NRA sponsors
all sorts of gun safety classes — I know because I've attended one. Classes like
these are absolutely valuable for people to learn about firearm safety. Do I
support the NRA in this regard? Absolutely.
On the other hand, how do I feel about the notion that the Russians knew the
gun lobby was a strong link to the GOP? How do I feel about the NRA laundering
Russian money and funneling it into the Trump campaign? That's a problem for me.
I don't like politics in my guns. (By the way, the notion "the liberals are coming
to take my guns away" is complete horse shit, Mr. Patrick, and you know it.) Do I
support the NRA in this regard? Oh Hell no.
Am I a member of the NRA? No.
Would I consider joining? No. Not after all of this bullshit. And by the way,
I don't entirely agree with their mission, either — because I believe the amount
of money it's spent in the political arena is probably what has kept the second
amendment debate in limbo for... nearly 150 years. That debate is the interpretation
of the amendment which allows private citizens unfettered access to assault weapons.
That's some pretty advanced "advocacy" there.
What I would support is the NRA in a much more limited... scope. GET IT? HA!!
And I don't think that makes me liberal. It just means I have common sense.
If the NRA wants to be political, fine. Split the education programs out to
somebody else, and I'll support that company instead. I want "advocacy" to mean proper
firearm education and licensing. I don't want it to mean an avenue to influence,
disturb, or corrupt our political process. Or to put itself in such a position as
to launder money for Russian oligarchs. If it wasn't so deep in bed with the GOP,
it wouldn't have gotten into that particular mess.
As far as its financial woes, well, advocacy for the AR-15 and other assault
weapons of its ilk is what got it where it is — at a low point in membership, a low
point in income, and left looking like a turd in the punchbowl. Why? Because people
were using those guns on innocents in schools or at outdoor concerts. The NRA didn't
want that. Nobody did. But I guess this is what "advocacy" has bought.