The NRA's internal finances have come under close scrutiny this past year, after Oliver North launched a failed coup intended to unseat longtime CEO/cult leader Wayne LaPierre, triggering so much internal strife that the organization's dirtiest laundry ended up getting aired in retaliatory strategic leaks by each camp.
The latest revelation to come from New York State's investigation into the NRA's abuse of its nonprofit status is that the NRA paid LaPierre's crony marketing firm, Ackerman McQueen (previously) $70,000 to consult on which mansion LaPierre should purchase.
The transaction was booked in the most fraudulent, grifty way possible, with a "vague description, company didn’t exist and address of business was the home of the Chief Accounting Officer of [Ackerman McQueen]."
LaPierre was reportedly looking to buy the mansion because he was afraid of getting shot and he wanted a secret bolt hole to hide in after the Parkland, Florida massacre. LaPierre's wife, Susan, led the mansion project, choosing the property and guiding renovations.
The NRA says that LaPierre returned the funds. Ackerman and the NRA are suing each other over the former's billings to the latter.
But a document obtained by ProPublica shows that NRA money was used to help facilitate the purchase of a 10,000-square-foot Texas mansion for LaPierre, setting off alarms within the nonprofit. In response to questions about the transaction, the NRA on Thursday did not provide a comment or say whether the funds were eventually returned.NRA accountants flagged a $70,000 payment to WBB Investments LLC in a document titled “List of Top Concerns for the Audit Committee.” They asked the audit committee to examine the payment, which they said was not properly documented.
The memo warned of the payment to a company with a “vague description, company didn’t exist and address of business was the home of the Chief Accounting Officer of AcMc” — a reference to Ackerman McQueen, the NRA’s longtime advertising firm.
Document Shows NRA Money Helped Its Chief Search for a Personal Mansion [Mike Spies/Propublica]
(Image:
Paul Sableman
, CC BY, modified)
