The National Rifle Association has a lot of problems on its hands. Aside from the now familiar allegations of cronyism and corruption, the NRA was forced to cancel its annual meeting and exhibits in Nashville last year. That was a huge financial hit for the association, given that the the event routinely draws 65,000 to 80,000 people each year depending on the location and venue capacity.
This year’s NRAAM is scheduled for September 3, 4 and 5 in Houston. However, as you’re probably aware, Covid cases are up again in states nationwide, including here in Texas.
As a result, a lot of big name exhibitors have decided they don’t want to spend a weekend inside a packed hall with tens of thousands of convention goers, exposing their people to the virus and possibly bringing it back to their offices and production facilities.
As the Daily Beast is reporting . . .
Most of the largest American gun makers have taken steps to drop out, from informing the NRA that they won’t be attending to cancelling travel plans. These companies include Benelli USA, Browning, FN Herstal, Kimber Manufacturing, Savage Arms, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory, Sig Sauer, and Sturm, Ruger & Company, according to people with knowledge of internal communications at these companies. …
Meanwhile, the American arms of Italy’s Beretta and Germany’s Heckler & Koch have already positioned themselves to skip the convention, out of concern for the health and safety of staff, but appear to be waiting on the NRA to cancel it to avoid drawing the ire from the powerful industry group and the public, two people familiar with situation and another source briefed on the matter said. Neither company responded to The Daily Beast.
Two executives at Vista Outdoor, an industry powerhouse that owns several of the most popular ammunition brands—like CCI, Federal, and Speer—told friends they will not go either, according to two people familiar with their decisions.
The most popular clothing outfitter in the gun world, 5.11 Tactical, confirmed it will no longer be going and has additionally cancelled plans to attend “all national trade shows for the balance of the year out of concern for the health and wellbeing of our employees, customers, and partners.”
TTAG has heard about the accumulating number of cancellations for a couple of weeks now as some large industry names told us they’ve decided it just wasn’t worth the risk. However, we’ve also heard that there are other considerations behind the decisions of a number of companies that won’t be there.
We’ve been told by a not insignificant number of exhibitors that they didn’t want to support the NRA with a clearly compromised Wayne LaPierre still leading the association. After the allegations made by the New York Attorney General along with the admissions made in testimony during the NRA’s failed bankruptcy bid, NRA leadership has — allegedly — engaged in years of egregious self-dealing, corrupt practices, and mismanagement at the expense of the association’s membership.
As a result, the people who run a number of the industry’s biggest brands didn’t want to be seen as propping up LaPierre by participating in the NRAAM this year. But they also didn’t want to appear insufficiently supportive of the NRA’s five million members who buy a lot of guns, ammunition, and gear every year.
The Covid resurgence, then, has given them the perfect fig leaf for pulling out without raising the issue of the NRA’s mismanagement and lack of oversight.
We’ve heard that with the exhibitor defections so far, the NRA has reconfigured the convention floorspace, trimming it by 20% so those who attend don’t see a lot of large empty booth spaces. That’s a bad look.
Given the people we continue to hear from who are expressing doubts about whether they’ll attend, the NRA’s event planners may have some more trimming to do…assuming they decide to go ahead with the convention at all.
Until LaPierre is gone, I’m not sending them another dime. He got rich and did little to nothing to forward the cause of the 2A
Ditto!
Double Ditto!!!
Triple Ditto!!!!!!
(and double the exclamation points 🙂 )
Great – all you FUDDS endorsing the MSM and demtards. Way to go.
Non sequitur.
More endorsements:
“These companies include Benelli USA, Browning, FN Herstal, Kimber Manufacturing, Savage Arms, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory, Sig Sauer, and Sturm, Ruger & Company, according to people with knowledge of internal communications at these companies. …
Meanwhile, the American arms of Italy’s Beretta and Germany’s Heckler & Koch have already positioned themselves to skip the convention“
Even if unable to attend, I would happily donate to a rival exhibition sponsored by the SAF or GOA, and I suspect that quite a few other people would too.
Until Wayne is gone and there’s evidence that the NRA is no longer a piggy bank for sociopaths who will trade our natural rights for a giant poster of their face and a blowjob, they don’t get anything from me.
^^^^ THIS RIGHT HERE ^^^^
Has Wayne found guilty of all the accusations? Perhaps he is, but until proven so people should wait it out to see what happens Guilty by public opinion does not count. I know he did things not in the best interest of the NRA like expensive Hollywood suits,etc. The NY Attorney General is an ultra liberal who hates firearms, so I put no faith in her accusations. She is trying to shut down the NRA and would go after other great gun organizations like GOA, etc.
I have been getting lots of e mails about going as it’s only 200 miles or so from where I live. My response has been NO ; reason # 1 They still have Wayne and his cronies in power. #2 Houston is a large sh@t hole and will not go there for any reason. Lived there once. It’s been run by liberals for too long.
You are right about the liberals, especially their mayor.
LePue needs to go, one way or the other, it doesn’t matter how. Someone needs to act.
Oh no, someone might catch it like Gov. Abbott who didn’t even know he had it until he was tested.
I live in Texas. The virus isn’t keeping me away, it’s the idiots in charge of the NRA.
Yes, governor Abbot has had both initial vaccination shots, and a third booster already. And he is receiving the antibody treatment under a doctors care.
But you citizens of the great state of Texas need not worry, Dr. Laura has already prescribed the horse wormer ivermectin for your Covid symptoms so no need to vaccinate!
Just shut up, Liar49er. There is no truth in you, only death and destruction.
Minor finds a truffle – the notavaccine DOESNT DO DIDDLY SQUAT.
Miner, your sarcasm shows your true ignorance. Ivermectin was hugely effective for my wife when she had Covid. From feeling like death to recovery in 24-48 hours. She was also on famotadine, perhaps that was more effective I can’t say which or both.
Now my vaccine rant: Younger, healthier folks don’t need the vaccine, but data does support that it helps prevent hospitalization and death if even only 60% effective at preventing infection entirely. I had the rona so no need for me to vaccinate with natural immunity showing roughly 40x better than Pfizer at preventing re-infection.
How all these clowns are not in jail is beyond me. Rob a liquor store and steal $200, probably going to get 5 years in the can. Steal Millions from a not for profit, violate IRS rules, rig elections, etc. and you are 100% fine to continue one. I guess Bill and Hilary got a pass, so why would Wayne be any different, Joined as a Life Member in 1982 and I have zero support for the NRA now. Joined GOA, as they are focused on results, while the NRA is focused on lining their own pockets.
The GOA is not beyond some of these allegations of corruption. They hired the cheapest and most incompetent centrist-left “lobbyists” to go in and “negotiate” the joke of “constitutional carry” laws in Texas, actually selling-out like cheap bitches to the likes of Suicide Dan Patrick and other RINO turds. AND THAT SHOWS; TEXAS STILL DOES NOT HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY.
The GOA litigators are the only competent part of that organization and obviously that’s where a significant amount of their funds goes (but they weren’t present en force for this past legislative session). While I guess it’s better to have something than nothing at all (which is why I will still attend the NRA show this year) I find it interesting that I’ve written the GOA four (4) damn times asking why they withdrew their Heller-based lawsuit to overturn the Hughes Act yet have never receive an answer or even an acknowledgement of receipt of my inquiries. I stopped supporting them years ago.
Even more interesting is how the business of keeping our 2nd. Amendment rights has long become a major business within itself with all these new “rights organizations” popping up to get their profits. It’s not hard to figure out if there was no money in it there may not be much of a threat of losing our gun rights.
Yes Houston is a shithole and has been for the longest. I’m not going to the NRA show to support the blue political fraud vote machine in Houston but to piss them off if nothing else. If I can pick the lesser of two evils when voting I can piss off the greater of two evils by choosing my entertainment.
Texas STILL DOES NOT HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY because it was passed and signed in the last part of the legislative session. By state law, that means it — or any other law passed that late in the session — doesn’t take effect until September 1. It has nothing whatsoever to do with GOA’s (or anyone else’s) lobbyists.
You’re absolutely wrong. It has everything to do with the so-called “lobbyists” they hired along with those of the TSRA and that idiot that heads up the Texas Gun Rights. If all of them had stayed out of it the nonsense that was passed may not have been signed in to law and Texans would be much better off. Instead those sell-out backstabbers basically told them to pass anything they could get passed as long as they passed something that could be successfully lied about. For crying out loud at least the failure in Louisiana had some sort of honor to it. Instead Texans have to deal with this bullshit “permitless carry” from here on out and with worse consequences for human error than ever before. But yes indeed those corrupted skanks with the GOA sure did us all a solid (turd, that is). I hope their damn legs grow together.
“Steal Millions from a not for profit, violate IRS rules, rig elections, etc. and you are 100% fine to continue“
Well, New York state did shut down the Trump foundation after they caught the Trump family stealing the funds donated for wounded veterans, trumps tax returns are being investigated by multiple federal and state agencies, several Trump supporters have been caught voting multiple times for Trump so it’s very probable that he may actually face criminal charges in the very near future.
so… are you saying laws for those with a particular political viewpoint do not apply for those of another political viewpoint??
Liar49er is back. Why would anyone believe a single thing written by a guy that makes Baghdad Bob seem honest by comparison.
A 2nd truffle for Miner – NY demtard pols are utterly corrupt.
500,000,000? No, 400,999, 999. I ignored NRA’s repeated requests to renew my membership. And will until WLP is gone and will continue to do so. In the meantime I’ve joined GOA and the 2nd Amendment Foundation. I urge others to do the same.
I don’t blame any of them for avoiding the NRA Convention like the plague- the COVID WLP variant is unbelievably nauseating. It is essential for it to be eradicated- for all our good.
I’ve had it three times, it’s a walk in the park…..
You’ve had the COVID WLP variant three times? I’m not sure that’s something to brag about…
And we have another actual publisher here.
Being that Nashville Tennessee is only 40 miles away I had plans on going to the NRA convention here. The last one here was great! But that was before WLP had his deposition. Now if it was next door to me I would not go. Also in that time if you look around on YouTube or some other platforms. You can find the same information about Firearms, ammo, outdoor equipment, etc, etc., that you would find in an any meeting Hall.
Of course it is nice to be able to put your hands on these guns. Especially those guns that you would never, see in your local gun stores.
Good. Cancel the whole damned thing. It will be easier on people than having to listen to Crooked Wayne whining about how he’s being picked on. While you’re at it, sell the museum to someone that will appreciate it and disband the whole 9 yards.
LePew will get a golden parachute when he does finally leave or get kicked out of the NRA. It’s inconsequential though as he’s set financially on the money NRA members dished out. I’m glad I cancelled my membership years ago and like others said, the NRA will never get another dime of mine until they clean house properly and I mean CLEAN HOUSE, not just open a window and let a few flies out.
I think every member that is able to attend should be there to let wayne know that he isn’t welcome anymore.
No I’m not going. Dropped my membership in 2010. Would not join at the door to get in even if I could have the chance to shout hm down.
Then maybe a member protest outside the convention demanding WLP’s removal would get the point across…
Excellent idea. Lifers and other current members could go in. Former and prospects could peacefully protest outside.
Damn right.
Well darn, afraid of catching the covid. They must not have gotten their 15th booster shot.
As a beginner shooter and living in Texas I had considered going. Great opportunity to check out all things firearm related. But if vendors aren’t going to show up I don’t see the point.
I’m part of an amateur radio club. We hold an indoor radio swap fest two times a year. Last one we had was spring of 2020. By the interest in our event scheduled for this October people want to get back to some normalcy. Last few events we held we sold out a couple of weeks before the event. This time we are sold out a couple of months before. So people are ready to get back to doing things.
Dan, this is great news. It’s about time the spineless people who run these big manufacturing businesses took an open stand directly against WLP. I’m not buying that they canned their presence due to C19, not for a minute. It’s just a great excuse to leave the Negotiating Rights Away org in the weeds where they belong. Thanks for the report.
Good. The more big dollars that withdraw support from that thieving traitor WLP the better.
What a bunch of MSM tools.
And apparently you’d stump for Satan as long as he says he’s pro-2A.
Congratulations- you have affirmed yourself an exemplary Yin to Miner49er’s Yang…
“NY demtard pols are utterly corrupt“
Yes, Donald Trump is a corrupt New York politician, who stole money donated to wounded veterans:
“A New York judge has ruled that President Trump must pay $2 million in damages to settle claims that the Trump Foundation misused funds. The money will go to a group of charities, and the foundation is in the process of dissolving.
The case is tied to a televised fundraiser for veterans held by Trump in Iowa when he was running for president in January 2016. Trump had said the funds raised would be distributed to charities. But according to court documents, the Trump Foundation improperly used $2.82 million it received from that fundraiser.
According to the judgment, that money “was used for Mr. Trump’s political campaign and disbursed by Mr. Trump’s campaign staff, rather than by the Foundation,” which is unlawful. However, Justice Saliann Scarpulla says the funds did eventually reach charity organizations supporting veterans.“
You may call me a liar, but the facts are the facts.
You continue to support a draft dodger who steals money from wounded warriors, that is what passes for patriotism in the republican party these days.
https://www.npr.org/2019/11/07/777287610/judge-says-trump-must-pay-2-million-over-misuse-of-foundation-funds
Apparently Liar49er believes in the Biden mandate preventing eviction for those living rent-free, even if it is just in their head.
Dan, Liar49er is such a pustule in the comments section. Why do you tolerate its garbage?
Until Wayne is gone I will not send another time to them.He should do the honorable thing and step down.I support other gun support groups instead.I will return when he’s gone.And I’m a life member.
Add my name to the list of former supporters who are finished with the NRA until they “de-Wayne” their swamp. There are plenty of alternative organizations to support.
Kick out WLP, then we’ll talk!