Reuters
- The National Rifle Association is currently embroiled in a state of extreme internal turmoil over its leadership and Republican strategists are fretting over its potential impact on the 2020 election, according to a Wednesday report in Politico.
- The organization, once a powerhouse in electing Republicans, has been completely upended in recent months amid an investigation from the New York Attorney General’s office, financial problems, and internal turmoil.
- "Infighting and accusations playing out almost daily in the national media regarding the NRA have not been helpful. Clearly it will have an impact in the NRA’s ability to raise money," Republican strategist Chris LaCivita told Politico.
- Some GOP Senators have taken the unprecedented step of bringing their anxiety to Sen. Todd Young, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Politico reported.
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The National Rifle Association is currently embroiled in a state of extreme internal turmoil over its leadership — and some Republican strategists are fretting it could harm their prospects in the 2020 election, according to a Wednesday report in Politico.
For decades, the NRA has been a powerhouse lobbying force on behalf of the gun industry, and used its wide reach to facilitate grassroots voter turnout efforts among its largely conservative membership, benefiting Republican candidates at many levels.
But the organization has been in upheaval in recent months amid an investigation from the New York Attorney General’s office, internal financial crises and accusations of self-dealing by key leaders, donor-led coups against those leads leaders, the shuttering of its NRA-TV network, and the loss of some of its key spokespeople and lobbyists, including lobbying director Chris Cox.
It’s status as a force in GOP politics has taken a hit that some GOP Senators have taken the unprecedented step of bringing their anxiety over the matter to Sen. Todd Young, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Politico reported.
"Infighting and accusations playing out almost daily in the national media regarding the NRA have not been helpful. Clearly it will have an impact in the NRA’s ability to raise money," Republican strategist Chris LaCivita told Politico.
As the NRA has been scrutinized over the legal validity of its status as a tax-exempt organization in New York and cut ties with its biggest ad agency, chaos broke out at the annual NRA convention in April over the AG’s investigation, prompting the sudden ouster of President Oliver North.
After North’s dramatic departure, reports began to emerge that long-time NRA executive Wayne LaPierre had mis-used organization money, prompting one major donor to withhold his substantial annual contributions and begin an internal effort to oust LaPierre, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump blasted the AG’s office in a Tuesday tweet, accusing it of "harassing…our great NRA."
"Sorry for not responding to your tweet earlier, Mr. President. We were a little busy standing up for the true values of our nation, and fighting for liberty & justice for all," Attorney General Letitia James responded in a tweet of her own.
While the Trump campaign is currently building up a massive war chest of campaign donations in coordination with the Republican National Committee and cementing its grassroots voter turnout strategy, down-ballot elections and candidates are likely to be hardest-hit by the absence of NRA-led grassroots organization, Politico said.
Local party leaders, including the chair of the Ohio GOP, told Politico that they’ve begun to take matters in to their own hands by compiling lists of gun owners in their area to fill in the gap of outreach to gun-rights supporters.
Politico noted that the NRA’s shrinking ability to influence national politics is particularly concerning to some Republican strategists given the simultaneous trend of other major outside conservative groups like the Koch Foundation and the Chamber of Commerce scaling back their political spending and expressing more openness to back candidates from both political parties.
Read the full story at Politico>>
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Source: Business Insider – gpanetta@businessinsider.com (Grace Panetta)