The Checkered Past of NRA Leadership
Most organizations are a reflection of their leadership.
In the case of the NRA, this adage rings particularly true. In the modern era, the NRA has had four leaders:
Harlon or Harlan Carter. (Carter often deliberately misspelled his first name in an attempt to mask the fact he was once convicted of murder. In fact, his NRA card–on display at the NRA HQ museum–has his first name rewritten).
G. Ray Arnett. Arnett was shown the door after it became apparent he was involved with a young NRA staffer, Tracey Atlee.
“Mr. Arnett has made personnel decisions on the basis of his personal interest rather than the interests of the Association.” These charges stemmed from Arnett’s relationship with NRA staffer Tracey Attlee. Attlee was a frequent Arnett travel and shooting companion. In 1986 Arnett promoted Attlee from the public education division to international shooting with an unauthorized salary increase of more than $13,000. This, coupled with Arnett’s dismissal of the remaining public education staff, resulted in the NRA board’s removal of both Arnett and Attlee.
Warren Cassidy. Cassidy apparently learned nothing from Arnett. Arnett and the NRA lost a sexual harrassment suit brought by a former staffer:
In pretrial depositions, Cassidy was reportedly forced to give detailed accounts of his sexual liaisons with female staff members. Yet only six months earlier, Cassidy had castigated “all NRA critics, especially you cartoonists, who exhaust yourselves portraying us as the epitome of macho chauvinists!”
Coming soon: how Wayne Lapierre supplements his salary.
