[ad_1]
The National Rifle Association has laid off dozens of employees, canceled its national convention and scuttled fundraising, membership and shooting events that normally would be key to rallying its base in an election year.
The coronavirus pandemic has upended the gun-rights organization during what should be heady times for the group, in the middle of a presidential election and with gun owners riled up over what they see as an effort by authorities to trample on their Second Amendment rights.
The NRA, which boasts about 5 million members, in recent weeks laid off or furloughed dozens of employees, imposed a four-day workweek for some employees and cut salaries across the board, including for CEO Wayne LaPierre. The financial issues, combined with the cancellation of fundraisers and the national convention, which would surely have drawn a visit from President Donald Trump, have complicated its ability to influence the 2020 election.
In a memo to staff, LaPierre said 20% salary cuts were across the board, while some senior staffers “voluntarily” reduced their wages even more.
[CORONAVIRUS: Click here for our complete coverage » arkansasonline.com/coronavirus]
He said the staffing reductions and other changes were intended to be temporary.
“The cancellation of the annual meeting had a significant financial impact but, beyond that, the health crisis has caused us to postpone countless fundraising and membership events along with competitions, training seminars and other revenue streams — those disruptions are the primary drivers of our decision-making process,” said Andrew Arulanandam, spokesman for the NRA.
“Like every other business and nonprofit, we are forced to make tough choices in this new economic environment.”
The coronavirus has exacerbated financial woes that were already serving as a drag on the NRA as it wages legal fights with regulators and its once-loyal marketing firm and faces anger from rank-and-file members over stewardship of the gun group.
It’s also facing rising public frustration over gun laws in the wake of mass shootings.
“Everybody’s in the same boat as the NRA. The NRA’s real problem is they had real existing financial problems before this happened,” said Robert Spitzer, chairman of political science at the State University of New York at Cortland and a longtime watcher of the NRA. “It simply does not bode well for their impact on the upcoming election.”
The cutbacks have coincided with the NRA finding a new platform for its message during the pandemic.
With the world panicked over the coronavirus, Americans bought record numbers of guns in March, based on background check data that is the best barometer of firearms sales in the U.S.
The NRA and other gun-rights groups have been aggressively filing lawsuits challenging authorities in places across the U.S. that have declared gun shops and ranges as not being “essential” businesses and therefore allowed to remain open under stay-at-home directives.
Gun owners have been flocking to state capitols to protest the restrictions, most prominently in Michigan.
The immediate hope is that such legal challenges will persuade authorities to back down. But the NRA is also hoping the legal fights over “essential” activity will strengthen their hand in the courts and make it harder to restrict gun rights in the future.
A Section on 05/04/2020
Print Headline: NRA trims staff, cancels events amid virus
Sponsor Content
Comments
[ad_2]
Source link
616484 913326Just wanna comment that you have a extremely nice website, I the style and style it actually stands out. 792366
192091 162366I feel this website has got some very outstanding info for every person : D. 289615
510952 917372Hi there! Fantastic stuff, please do tell me when you finally post something like that! 872086
916932 334086you use a great blog here! do you wish to earn some invite posts on my small blog? 435863
924580 707182Does your site have a contact page? Im having trouble locating it but, Id like to send you an e-mail. Ive got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, excellent blog and I appear forward to seeing it develop over time. 982614
815464 313224Thanks for all your efforts that you have put in this. extremely fascinating information. 456089
994367 568738I like this website very considerably so considerably superb info . 364660
970970 711609This really is sensible information! Exactly where else will if ind out far more?? Who runs this joint too? sustain the very good work 797837
554184 416609We keep your page. Watch it offline once more soon. Extremely interesting write-up. 88728
24546 287237Hi, you used to write exceptional articles, but the last several posts have been kinda lackluster I miss your super writing. Past couple of posts are just a little out of track! 934874
511087 289162It was any exhilaration discovering your internet site yesterday. I arrived here nowadays hunting new points. I was not necessarily frustrated. Your concepts right after new approaches on this thing have been valuable plus an superb assistance to personally. We appreciate you leaving out time to write out these items and then for revealing your thoughts. 689794
369563 240636I undoubtedly did not realize that. Learnt something new today! Thanks for that. 166808
77045 367436If I should say something, then nothing will stop the chatter within 855960
239869 38694This web page is often a walk-through for all with the details it suited you with this and didnt know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you will undoubtedly discover it. 992320
928061 954475Of course like your internet site but you need to check the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I locate it very bothersome to tell the truth nevertheless Ill definitely come back once more. 906861
812208 690782Taylor Lautner By the way you may want to take a look at this cool web site I found 465363
190854 544297I truly enjoyed your remarkable site. Be sure to maintain it up. May god bless you !!!! 863704
524184 653694you might have a great weblog here! would you wish to make some invite posts on my weblog? 896192
314538 270665 Spot on with this write-up, I truly believe this web site needs significantly much more consideration. Ill probably be once again to read considerably more, thanks for that information. 129499
115955 61281I recognize there is definitely an excellent deal of spam on this weblog. Do you want aid cleansing them up? I could help in between classes! 354302
436788 325869Yay google is my world beater assisted me to discover this great web web site ! . 898329