By Kenneth Ross

 

“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.  Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

The National Rifle Association does not publish (since 2013) a listing of its Board of Directors.  They have 76 directors, 25 elected each year by a mailed ballot, for three-year terms. Additionally, one member is elected for one year, at the annual convention, sort of a rescue for the executives, saving one person voted out by the members.

At the annual meeting in Dallas, Texas, in May, 2018, twenty of the directors first or last reelected in 2015 were reelected for another term.  This is typical of the Board – long-term members.

Famous long-term directors include actor Tom Selleck, singer Ted Nugent, former NASCAR driver Richard​ ​Childress, and former basketball player Karl​ ​Malone.  Also, former or current congressmen Bob Barr, Dan​ ​Boren​, Larry Craig, Curtis​​ ​Jenkins​, Allen West and Don Young. And, of course, Iran-Contra convicted felon Oliver​ ​North, who was elected as president of the Board for the next year.

Nor, as is often exclaimed in social media, is the Board mostly representative of the arms industry.  There are some – Ronnie​ ​G.​ ​Barrett, Pete​ ​Brownell, and Robert​ ​A.​ ​Nosler, representing their own companies(1), and Duane Liptak of Magpul Industries. The influence of the gun manufacturers can be better measured in moneys contributed to the NRA.  The Board is mostly politicians, shooting range owners, writers of gun magazines, attorneys, lobbyists and police officers of one sort or another (including Corrections and Fish and Game).

The May vote could be seen as a won for new blood. Three of the top five votes were for new directors – Carrie Lightfoot, the “Well-Armed Woman”, Duane Liptak, mentioned above, and Julie Golob, world shooting champion.  The other new directors are Kristy Titus, from the Outdoor Channel, Il Ling New, professional shooting guide, and Dean Cain, an actor best known for Lois and Clark.

The vote also could be seen as against long-term members. The voters rejected Grover Norquist, Robert Wos and John Cushman.  Former president and conservative commentator David Keane barely made it, coming in 25th.  Former president Ronald Schmeits came in 26th, replacing recently deceased actor E. Lee Ermey.  Long-term member Herb Lanford, rejected in the vote, become this year’s one-year 76th member.(2)

But, one way or another, 20 directors were reelected, and 2 decided not to run. All the directors who were not reelected, and those who won with the smallest number of votes, also were in the bottom rungs in 2015, except Keane.

The Illusion of Choice

Much of the real power remains in the hands of the executive officers, and especially EVP Wayne LaPierre.  Also very powerful is the PR firm of Ackerman McQueen, which has driven much of the media narrative, and the NRA’s expansion into NRA TV.  It reportedly created the public persona of LaPierre.

The Board is incestuous.  The voting is hardly democratic.  The NRA Board’s Nominating Committee picks almost all of the candidates, including, usually, all of the Board’s 25 directors who are running for reelection. This year it nominated 33 people, and two were put on the ballot by petition from members. (These petition candidates rarely win.)

If one votes for (at most) 25 of 35, one is not really choosing the winners, but rather the 10 losing candidates.  The only real competition is at the margins at the 25th vote getter, and the difference between the 25th vote getter and the 28th may be less than 1000 votes.

Those eligible to vote are not all NRA members, but rather life members and those who have been members for over five years.  If the membership numbers publicized by the NRA are correct, much less than 10% of those eligible actually vote – 111k in 2017.

Women and Minorities

Despite its reputation as a white men’s club, the NRA Board has several women who are long term members, but there has clearly been a concerted effort to increase the number of women on the Board in the last few years.  The number is now 17, or 22% of the Board. One could speculate that, in the mind of the NRA MAGA’s, a woman with a gun is ‘hot’, and nowhere near as threatening as young black men with guns.

The Board also has four black male directors. It also has two men, and one women, who are at least partially Asian.(3)

The Craziest of the Crazies

You would expect an organization which promotes guns and opposes gun restrictions to have its share of crazies, and the NRA Board does not disappoint.  The new president, Oliver North, was convicted of illegally selling arms to Iran to finance the illegal overthrow of the socialist government of Nicaragua.  Allen West left the military rather than be court marshaled for torture.

Ted Nugent threatened the life of the last president, and likes under-aged girls (aside from being racist, anti-Semitic, misogynistic and xenophobic, traits common in the NRA/MAGA community).  Larry Craig left Congress after being arrested for his wide bathroom stance. Brown, Ross and Young have supported anti-government militia groups. (4)

NRA ​Board​ ​of​ ​Directors 2018 (5)

Joe​ ​Allbaugh​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​​ ​director,​ ​Oklahoma​ ​Board​ ​of Corrections​ ​​ ​​ ​former​ ​campaign​ ​manager,​ ​George​ ​W.​ ​Bush @joe_allbaugh​ ​​

William​ ​H​ ​Allen​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​retired​ ​inspector​ ​with​ ​Shelby​ ​County,​ ​(Memphis)​ ​TN Sheriff’​ ​office

Dr.​ ​Thomas​ ​P​ ​Arvas​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​ ​New​ ​Mexico​ ​Game and​ ​Fish​ ​Commission​ ​​ ​​ ​Albuquerque​ ​NM Tomarvas@hotmail.com​ ​​

Scott​ ​L​ ​Bach​ ​​ president,​ ​Assn​ ​of​ ​NJ​ ​Rifle​ ​Clubs. ​​ ​defendfreedom@earthlink.net​ ​​ ​sbach@mindspring.com      http://www.bachbio.com​​ ​​ ​

William A. Bachenberg  – ​founder, former CEO,  Data​ ​Based​ ​Systems​ ​International, Bethlehem, PA.   Owner, Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays. bbachenberg@dbsintl.com​ ​​ ​​

Carol​ ​Bambery​ ​​ ​​​General Counsel, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies ​CarolB@mcrgo.org, law professor, Michigan State,   founder,​ ​Michigan​ ​Coalition​ ​Responsible​ ​Gun Owner Foundations. cbambery@fishwildlife.org​ ​​

Bob​ ​Barr.  former​ ​congressman, GA   @bobbarr info@bobbarr.org

Ronnie​ ​G.​ ​Barrett   founder​ ​of​ ​Barrett Firearms​ ​Manufacturing​ ​  Christiana,​ ​Tennessee mail@barrett.net

Clel​ ​Baudle​ ​​ ​​Iowa​ ​House​ ​of  Representatives Clel.baudler@legis.state.ia.us​ ​​ ​​

J​ ​Kenneth​ ​Blackwell​ ​​ ​​former​ ​Ohio​ ​Sec​ ​of​ ​State.  ​jkblackwell@Townhall.com. @kenblackwell​ ​​ ​​ ​ on Facebook

Matt​ ​Blunt​ ​​ ​​ ​former​ ​Governor​ ​of​ ​Missouri​ ​​ ​​ ​lobbyist​ ​for​ ​car industry   ​@MattBlunt​ ​​ ​​

Dan​ ​Boren​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​​ ​former​ ​congressman,​ ​OK President​ ​of​ ​Corporate​ ​Development​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Chickasaw​ ​Nation dan.boren@chickasaw.net​ ​​

Lt.​ ​Col.​ ​Robert​ ​K.​ ​Brown.   founder/editor/publisher​ ​of​ ​Soldier​ ​of​ ​Fortune​ ​magazine editorsof@aol.com

Pete​ ​Brownell​   ​​past ​president,​ ​NRA​ ​​​    president, Brownell’s,​ ​leading​ ​arms​ ​manufacturer   On Facebook. @petebrownell​ ​‏

Dave​ ​Butz​ ​​ ​​ ​​​ ​​​​ ​​ ​​ ​former football​ ​player​ ​​ ​​ ​Belleville,​ ​IL http://www.davebutz.com/certified-instructor.php

Dean Cain     Malibu, California     actor – @RealDeanCain

Ted​ ​W​ ​Carter​ ​​ ​​ ​former​ ​Navy​ ​officer Jacksonville,​ ​FL on Facebook

Richard​ ​Childress ​​ ​former NASCAR​ ​driver    @Rchildress3​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​on​ ​Facebook​ ​​

Patricia​ ​A​ ​Clark​ ​​ ​​ ​hospital​ ​laboratory​ ​technician Newtown,​ ​Connecticut  lpclar@bpthosp.org​

Allan​ ​D​ ​Cors​ ​​ ​​ ​Retired​ ​SVP,​ ​Corning,​ ​Inc.​ ​​ ​​ ​amassed​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​largest military​ ​vehicle​ ​collections​ ​​ ​​ ​past​ ​president​ ​NRA

Charles​ ​L​ ​Cotton​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​retired​ ​attorney​ ​who​ ​resides in​ ​Friendswood,​ ​Texas ​TexasCHLForum.com​

Professor​ ​David​ ​G​ ​Coy​ ​​ ​​ ​shootingcpa@verizon.net   CPA,​ ​prof​ ​at​ ​Adrian​ ​College dcoy@adrian.edu on Facebook

Larry​ ​Craig​ ​​ ​​ ​New​ ​West​ ​Strategies,​ ​lobbyist​ ​​ ​​ ​former​ ​congressman, scandal

Edie​ ​P​ ​Fleeman    principal,​ ​Black​ ​Hawk​ ​Rifle​ ​Club​ ​Inc.   Durham,​ ​NC

Joel​ ​Friedman​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​former​ ​owner,​ ​Mikawaya Ice​ ​Cream  ​joel4nra.com​ ​​ ​​ ​on​ ​Facebook​

Sandra​ ​Froman​ ​​ ​​​​ ​attorney,​ ​Tucson​ ​AZ, past president​ ​NRA ​sfroman@aol.com​

Julie Golob     world shooting champion. @julieG1   juliegolob.com

Marion​ ​Hammer ​​  ​Florida​ ​lobbyist​ ​for​ ​guns.    past​ ​president​ ​NRA MPHammer1@aol.com​

Kim​ ​Rhode​ ​Harryman​ ​​ ​​Olympic​ ​shooter   Big​ ​Bear​ ​Lake,​ ​CA ​on​ ​Facebook​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​@KimRhode​ ​​ ​​ ​

Maria​ ​Heil  ​ Second Amendment Sisters  New​ ​Freedom, Pennsylvania ​on​ ​Facebook

Graham​ ​Hill​ ​​  founder,​ ​lobbying​ ​firm,​ ​Ice Miller​ ​Strategies​ ​​ ​Director​ ​of​ ​Federal​ ​Affairs,​ ​Fifty​ ​Caliber   ​info@icemillerstrategies.com​ ​​ ​ on Facebook

Dwight​ ​Van​ ​Horn​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​retired​ ​deputy​ ​sheriff,​ ​LA     Castaic​ ​CA ​ddvanhor@aol.com​ ​​ ​​

Susan​ ​Howard    actress Boerne​ ​TX

Curtis​ ​S​ ​Jenkins​ ​​ ​​ ​former​ ​House​ ​of​ ​Reps    Forsyth,​ ​GA ​cjenkins@nrahq.org​ ​​ ​​

David​ ​A.​ ​Keene​ ​​ Opinion​ ​Editor​ ​of​ ​The​ ​Washington​ ​Times​ ​​ ​past​ ​president​ ​NRA​​ ​​ ​keened@carmengrp​ ​com​ ​​ ​​​ ​​http://davidakeene.com

Tom​ ​King    NY ​state​ ​legislature​ ​lobbyist East​ ​Greenbush,​ ​NY on​ ​Facebook

Timothy​ ​Knight​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​president​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Basic​ ​Freedom Defense​ ​Fund,Colorado      on​ ​Facebook

Herbert​ ​A​ ​Lanford​ ​Jr​ ​​ ​​ ​former​ ​president​ ​of​ ​Gun​ ​Owners​ ​of​ ​South Carolina​ ​Columbia​ ​SC

Willes​ ​K​ ​Lee​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​Chairman​ ​​ ​Hawaii​ ​GOP, retired​ ​U.S.​ ​Army​ ​Lt​ ​Col  on Facebook ​willes.lee@gmail.com​ ​​

Carrie Lightfoot    Scottsdale, Arizona SHOT Show, The Well Armed Woman @WellArmedWoman  Scottsdale Arizona thewellarmedwoman.com Facebook/TheWellArmedWoman

Duane Liptak, Jr.    EVP of Magpul Industries (gun magazines and accessories) 877-4MAGPUL   magpul.com. Austin, Texas @Magpul_HQ

Karl​ ​Malone​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​former​ ​basketball​ ​player Salt​ ​Lake City​ ​UT @TheDeliverer_32​ ​​ ​​

Sean​ ​Maloney​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​attorney,​ ​founder, Second​ ​Call​ ​Defense,​ ​pre-paid​ ​legal​ ​defense​ ​for​ ​guns on​ ​Facebook​ ​​ ​​ ​@SeanMaloneyNRA

Robert​ ​E​ ​Mansell​ ​​ ​​ ​former​ ​Chairman​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Arizona​ ​Game​ ​and​ ​Fish Department​ ​Commission

Carolyn​ ​D.​ ​Meadows    2nd​ ​Vice​ ​Chair​ ​of​ ​the​ ​American Conservative​ ​Union​ ​​ ​​ ​Alexandria,​ ​VA

William​ ​A.​ ​Miller,​ ​Jr.​ ​president​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Beckley​ ​Gun​ ​Club WVA   insurance​ ​agent

Owen​ ​”Buz”​ ​Mills ​​ ​​ ​​ ​owner​ ​of​ ​Gunsite Academy,​ ​urban​ ​warfare​ ​​ ​​ ​Arizona,​ ​ran​ ​for​ ​governor  opsmgr@gunsite.com​

Craig​ ​Morgan​ ​​ ​​ ​country​ ​music​ ​singer.      ​on​ ​Facebook​ ​​ ​@cmorganmusic http://www.craigmorgan.com​​ ​​ ​​

Il Ling New, professional shooting guide, Gunsite Academy Rangemaster, Arizona  @MiniNew

Oliver​ ​North.   Iran/contra​ ​scandal,​ ​felon  current president, NRA. @OliverNorthFNC ​http://olivernorth.com

Robert​ ​A.​ ​Nosler bullet​ ​and​ ​rifle​ ​manufacturer​ ​Nosler,​ ​Inc

Johnny​ ​Nugent​ ​​ ​​​ ​​ ​former​ ​Indiana​ ​State​ ​Senator  Lawrenceburg,​ ​Indiana ​ on​ ​Facebook

Ted​ ​Nugent Rock​ ​musician.   @TedNugent​ ​‏​ ​​ ​NugentUSA@cs.com​ ​​ ​​ ​

Lance​ ​Olson​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​former​ ​police​ ​officer​ ​and​ ​US​ ​Marshall Marengo​ ​IA  On Facebook

Melanie​ ​Pepper​ ​​ ​​ ​wife​ ​of​ ​oil​ ​man​ ​​ ​​ ​Houston,​ ​TX

James​ ​W.​ ​Porter​ ​II​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​Birmingham​ ​attorney, past​ ​president​ ​NRA  ​jwporterii@pphlaw.net​ ​​ ​​

Peter​ ​“Jay”​ ​Printz​​ ​​ ​former​ ​sheriff​ ​in​ ​Montana on Facbook. jprintz@bitterroot.net​

Todd​ ​J​ ​Rathner​ ​​ ​​ ​lobbyist​ ​for​ ​the​ ​NRA​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Arizona​ ​state​ ​legislature)   T.​ ​Jeffrey​ ​Safari​ ​Company on Facebook

Col.​ ​Wayne​ ​Anthony​ ​Ross  ​ ​​ ​​ ​rejected​ ​Alaska AG,​ ​started​ ​state​ ​militia,​ ​attorney,​ ​Alaska     mvpa-hq@mvpa.org

Carl​ ​Rowan,​ ​Jr.​ ​​ ​​ ​VP,​ ​​ ​private​ ​security​ ​firm​ ​Securitas former police,​ ​FBI

Dr.​ ​Don​ ​Saba   research scientist, director​ ​of​ ​Sierra​ ​Bioresearch​ ​Company,​ ​Tucson,​ ​AZ

William​ ​H​ ​Satterfield    attorney,​ ​Balch​ ​& Bingham​ ​LLP, Birmingham.  wsatterf@balch.com

Ronald​ ​L​ ​Schmeits​ ​​ ​President​ ​&​ ​CEO,​ ​International​ ​Bank​ ​​ ​New​ ​Mexico     past​ ​president​ ​NRA

Esther​ ​Schneider​ ​​ ​President,​ ​Strategic​ ​Alliance​ ​Arms,​ ​LLC​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​former ED,​ ​Hoosier​ ​Lottery​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​Austin,​ ​TX

Steven​ ​C​ ​Schreiner​ ​​ ​​ ​president,​ ​Firearms​ ​Coalition​ ​of​ ​Colorado      Englewood,​ ​CO

Tom​ ​Selleck​ ​​ ​​ ​actor Thousand​ ​Oaks,​ ​CA

John​ ​C​ ​Sigler​ ​​ ​chairman,​ ​GOP​ ​State​ ​Comm​ ​of​ ​DE lawyer​ ​in​ ​MD​ ​and​ ​DE  ​​ ​jsigler@dmv.com​ ​​

Leroy​ ​Sisco​ ​​ ​​ ​started​ ​Military​ ​Warriors​ ​Support​ ​Foundation​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​former​ ​TX

State ​Guard Lt​ ​General Boerne,​ ​TX

Bart​ ​Skelton​ ​​ ​​ ​author​ ​at​ ​RifleShooter​ ​​ ​​ ​New​ ​Mexico @Bart4570

Kristy Titus  facebook The Outdoor Channel’s Team Elk, Pursue the Wild star- past President of the Safari Club International (SCI) High Desert      @KristyTitus http://kristytitus.com/ #KristyTitus Facebook

Blaine​ ​Wade​ ​​ ​​ ​​​ ​​ ​​ ​police​ ​chief,​ ​Bristol,​ ​TN   ​bwade@bristoltn.org

Linda​ ​Walker​ ​​ ​​Central​ ​Ohio​ ​Chair, Buckeye​ ​Firearms​ ​Association​ ​​ ​Alexandria,​ ​Ohio LWalker@BuckeyeFirearms.org​ ​​

Howard​ ​J​ ​Walter   retired​ ​Lt​ ​Com,​ ​Navy, Novelist, Flat​ ​Rock, North​ ​Carolina

Heidi​ ​E​ ​Washington​ ​​ ​​​ ​​ ​attorney​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​director,​ ​Michigan corrections​ ​​ ​​ ​East​ ​Lansing  ​@HeidiWashington

Allen​ ​West​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ex-congressman,​ ​CEO, National​ ​Center​ ​for​ ​Policy​ ​Analysis    ​on​ ​Facebook @AllenWest​

Don​ ​Young   Congressman,​ ​Alaska.  @repdonyoung

Endnotes

1) Barrett Firearms, Browell, Inc, Hornady Manufacturing

2) Mercedes​ ​Schlapp​​, working for the White House, and Steve​ ​Hornady​ of ​Hornady​ ​Ammunition chose not to run for election.  If you are counting, there was an extra vacancy. In 2017, director Joseph P DeBergalis Jr. become the Deputy Executive Director for Operations.

3) I have excluded Hispanics because its definition as a race is fluid.  Latinos can be pure Native, European, African or Asian, or any combination of these.

4) https://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/undercurrent-extremism-runs-through-

David Neiwert, “An Undercurrent of Extremism Runs Through The NRA’s Board of Directors”, Crooks and Liars, 9/16/11.  Last accessed 6/4/18.

5) My 2017 listing was developed from reports of the prior three elections, but validated by three sources.  To this I have added the results of the 2018 election.

Confirmations of the 2017 Board:

http://www.adamkraut.com/attendance  also at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/579a2f5d893fc059a1159624/t/5a6e7d0c085229bac53175f2/1517190412531/Roll+Call+2018-2020.pdf

By Adam Kraut, reform candidate for the Board in 2017 and 2018.  No date given, but last updated after the 9/9/17 meeting. Last accessed 6/4/18.

http://www.theguncollective.com/nra/   No author or given.  Last accessed 6/4/18.

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nra/aff_201707/index.php?startid=60#/82  No author given, but in the July, 2017 issue of America’s 1st Freedom magazine.  Last accessed 6/4/18.

https://www.vodalogic.com/single-post/2017/01/15/ANALYSIS-NRACorporate-PowerSTATEFascism  Michael D. Thervil, “ANALYSIS: NRA (Corporate Power)+STATE=Fascism”, 5/3/17. Last accessed 6/4/18.

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nra/si_201706/index.php?startid=86   No author given, but in the June, 2017 issue of Shooting Illustrated magazine.  Last accessed 6/4/18.

The 2018 election:

https://www.ammoland.com/2018/04/nra-2018-board-election-results/#axzz5Dj5GRTpI

Written by staff, 4/23/2018.  Last accessed 6/4/18.

http://www.guns.com/2018/05/09/golob-liptak-among-new-faces-on-nra-board-of-directors/

Chris Eger, Guns, Inc., “Golob, Liptak among new faces on NRA Board of Directors”, 5/9/2018. Last accessed 6/4/18.

Two gun forums name Lanford as the 76th pick: https://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=102&t=92348 and https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/76th-Board-Seat-at-NRAAM/5-2106219/&page=3

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