National Rifle Association sues its charitable foundation, alleging takeover by ‘disgruntled’ ex-board members

The National Rifle Association filed a lawsuit on Monday accusing its charitable foundation, the NRA Foundation, of misusing $160 million in donations.

The NRA alleged the foundation used its trademarks without authorization and diverted donations intended for NRA charitable programs. The group also claimed former NRA directors seized control of the foundation to compete with the gun rights organization.

“The Foundation has been seized by a disgruntled faction of former NRA directors who lost control of the NRA’s Board following revelations of financial improprieties, mismanagement, and breaches of fiduciary duty and member trust,” attorneys for the NRA wrote in the complaint.

The attorney claimed that the faction of former directors seeks to use the foundation to reclaim control after having been “booted out of power by the NRA’s members.”

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The suit claims that the foundation has a personal “beef” with the NRA, and that the faction is “bitter” about losing control of the NRA’s board following “a series of scandals.”

Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s former chief, resigned in January 2024 as he was set to face trial in a corruption case brought by Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James. Prosecutors alleged that NRA executives used millions in company funds on luxury personal purchases and trips.

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A jury found the organization liable for financial mismanagement, ordering LaPierre to repay the group $4,351,231.

A judge later decided not to assign an outside monitor to oversee the NRA, but banned LaPierre from employment with the organization for ten years. 

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The lawsuit asks a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to bar the foundation from what the NRA calls unfair competition, including promoting or advertising any affiliation with the NRA or using its logo. It also seeks to block conduct that could lead the public to believe the foundation’s activities are “sponsored, endorsed, or authorized by, or associated or connected with” the NRA.