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U.S. NEWS Friday 7 august 2020
Continued from Front $2 million to settle allegations he since 1991, is accused of spending million for his girlfriend.
The troubles, which James said used donations meant for worthy millions of dollars on private travel Powell, the former LaPierre chief
were long cloaked by loyal lieuten- causes to further his own business and personal security, accepting of staff, is accused of getting his
ants and a pass-through payment and political interests. Though it is expensive gifts such as African sa- father a $90,000 photography gig
arrangement with a vendor, start- headquarters in Virginia, the NRA faris and use of a 107-foot yacht through an NRA vendor, arranging
ed to come to light as the NRA's was chartered as a non-profit in from vendors and setting himself a $5 million contract for a consult-
deficit piled up and it struggled New York in 1871 and continues to up with a $17 million contract with ing firm where his wife worked and
to find its footing after a spate of be incorporated in the state. the NRA, if he were to exit the orga- pocketing $100,000 more in hous-
mass shootings eroded support for The Washington, D.C., attorney nization, without board approval. ing and relocation reimbursements
its pro-gun agenda. The organiza- general has been investigating the The lawsuit said LaPierre, 70, spent than the organization's rules al-
tion went from a nearly $28 million NRA Foundation for more than a millions of the NRA's dollars on lowed. He was fired after 3½ years
surplus in 2015 to a $36 million defi- year. It said its investigation deter- travel consultants, including luxury for allegedly misappropriating NRA
cit in 2018. mined that low membership and black car services, and hundreds funds.
James, a Democrat, argued that lavish spending left the NRA with of thousands of dollars on private The lawsuit comes at a time when
the organization's prominence and financial problems and so it ex- jet flights for himself and his family, the NRA is trying to remain relevant
cozy political relationships had ploited the foundation to remain including more than $500,000 on and a force in the 2020 presiden-
lulled it into a sense of invincibility afloat. It offered as an example eight trips to the Bahamas over a tial election as it seeks to help Presi-
and enabled a culture where non- two $5 million loans that the NRA three-year span. dent Donald Trump secure a sec-
profit rules were routinely flouted Foundation board approved in Some of the NRA's excess spend- ond term.
and state and federal laws were vi- 2017 and 2018 despite the NRA's ing was kept secret, the lawsuit There has been an ongoing fac-
olated. Even the NRA's own bylaws financial problems, and then re- said, under an arrangement with tional war within organization,
and employee handbook were ig- peatedly granted requests to ex- the organization's former advertis- pitting some of its most ardent
nored, she said. tend and modify the loan. ing agency, Ackerman McQueen. gun-rights supporters and loyal-
"The NRA's influence has been so "Charitable organizations function The advertising firm would pick up ists against one another. The NRA
powerful that the organization as public trusts — and District law the tab for various expenses for has traded lawsuits with Ackerman
went unchecked for decades requires them to use their funds to LaPierre and other NRA executives McQueen, which crafted some of
while top executives funneled mil- benefit the public, not to support and then send a lump sum bill to its most prominent messages for
lions into their own pockets," James political campaigns, lobbying, or the organization for "out-of-pocket decades, eventually severing ties
said in a statement announcing private interests," Washington At- expenses," the lawsuit said. with it last year and scrapping its
the lawsuit. "The NRA is fraught with torney General Karl Racine said in Frazer, the corporate secretary controversial NRA-TV, which aired
fraud and abuse, which is why, to- a news release. "With this lawsuit, and general counsel, is accused many of its most controversial mes-
day, we seek to dissolve the NRA, we aim to recover donated funds of aiding the alleged misconduct sages.
because no organization is above that the NRA Foundation wasted." by certifying false or misleading The internal battles reached a
the law." The New York lawsuit also named annual regulatory filings, failing to fevered pitch at its 2019 annual
NRA President Carolyn Meadows LaPierre and three other current comply with governance proce- meeting where its then-president,
said the group was counter-suing and former executives as defen- dures, failing to enforce a conflict Oliver North, was denied a tradi-
the New York attorney general's of- dants: corporate secretary and of interest policy, and failing to en- tional second term amid a tussle
fice, setting the stage for a drawn- general counsel John Frazer, re- sure that board members were re- with LaPierre as he sought to in-
out legal battle that could last for tired treasurer and chief financial viewing transactions or that the the dependently review the NRA's
years. "It's a transparent attempt officer Wilson Phillips, and LaPierre's organization was following the law. expenses and operations. He ac-
to score political points and attack former chief of staff Joshua Pow- Phillips is accused of overseeing the cused LaPierre of exerting "dicta-
the leading voice in opposition to ell. While the lawsuit accuses all pass-through arrangement. The torial" control.
the leftist agenda,' Meadows said four men of wrongdoing and seeks lawsuit said he ignored or down- Chris Cox, the NRA's longtime lob-
in a statement. fines and remuneration, none of played whistleblower complaints byist and widely viewed as a likely
James is taking aim at the NRA af- them have been charged with a and made a deal to enrich himself successor to LaPierre, left after be-
ter her office last year dismantled crime. in retirement -- a bogus $1.8 million ing accused of working behind the
President Donald Trump's chari- LaPierre, who has been in charge contract to consult for the incom- scenes with North to undermine
table foundation and fined him of the NRA's day-to-day operations ing treasurer and a deal worth $1 LaPierre.q

U.S. health agency relaxes travel advice for several countries

By MIKE STOBBE only that certain people,
NEW YORK (AP) — If Tai- such as older adults and
wan or Greenland is in those with certain under-
your travel plans, U.S. pub- lying medical conditions,
lic health officials say you talk to their doctors before
can go ahead and pack making the trip.
your bags. For more than a dozen
The Centers for Disease other locations, CDC has
Control and Prevention on no precautions. Taiwan,
Thursday revised its travel Greenland, and Laos are
advisory information. Pre- on that list.
viously, the agency told But the CDC continues to
U.S. travelers to avoid all advise against non-essen-
nonessential international tial travel to more than 200
travel because of the CO- other international loca-
VID-19 pandemic. Now, it tions. Travelers make their ways to the south security checkpoint in the main terminal of Denver Inter-
says such travel is fine — In a statement Thursday, national Airport Wednesday, July 22, 2020, in Denver.
but only to about 20 loca- CDC officials said the Associated Press
tions. changes were driven by
Seven places, includ- how the virus was spread-
ing Thailand, Fiji and New ing in different places, and were functioning in deal- vice from the public health revision to the State De-
Zealand, are in a low-risk how well the public health ing with new cases. agency is expected to partment's global travel
group. CDC officials advise and health-care systems The change in travel ad- be followed by a similar advisory.q