NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre steps down amid corruption charges

National Rifle Association Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre resigned from the organization Friday, just three days before the embattled leader is set to face a corruption trial in New York.

“With pride in all that we have accomplished, I am announcing my resignation from the NRA,” LaPierre said. “I’ve been a card-carrying member of this organization for most of my adult life, and I will never stop supporting the NRA and its fight to defend Second Amendment freedom. My passion for our cause burns as deeply as ever."

Per an NRA press release detailing LaPierre’s resignation, Andrew Arulanandam, previously the organization’s head of general operations, will take over for LaPierre as interim CEO and executive vice president after LaPierre steps down on Jan. 31.

Although the 74-year-old LaPierre cited health concerns as the reason for his resignation, the gun organization’s release addressed the fact that LaPierre is “an individual defendant” in New York Attorney General Tish James’ corruption case.

“With respect to the NYAG’s allegations, the NRA Board of Directors reports it has undertaken significant efforts to perform a self-evaluation, recommended termination of disgraced ‘insiders’ and vendors who allegedly abused the Association, and accepted reimbursement, with interest, for alleged excess benefit transactions from LaPierre, as reported in public tax filings.”

The trial, which is set to start Monday, grew out of a civil suit James initially filed in 2020 alleging that LaPierre and other NRA leaders improperly used funds for personal gain, along with a host of other incidents of financial wrongdoing and mismanagement. James' effort aims in part to hobble the organization by ousting leaders like LaPierre.

Shortly after LaPierre's announcement, James released a statement noting the "important victory" in the CEO's resignation but emphasized that it would not impact the trial's progression.

“While the end of the Wayne LaPierre era is an important victory in our case, our push for accountability continues. LaPierre's resignation validates our claims against him, but it will not insulate him or the NRA from accountability. All charities in New York state must adhere to the rule of law, and my office will not tolerate gross mismanagement or top executives funneling millions into their own pockets. Our case will move ahead, and we look forward to proving the facts in court.”

Gun reform advocate Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Friday that LaPierre's departure from the NRA is "a signal of how weak" the organization has become.

"The NRA is a shell of its former self and Wayne LaPierre’s exit is a signal of how weak the NRA has become," Murphy told reporters. "I just think we're entering an era where we are going to continue to pass improvements in gun laws. And we are entering an era in which the gun safety movement is going to increasingly grow in power and the gun lobby is going to increasingly winnow in its power.”

The NRA, the country’s largest and most powerful gun organization, has been heavily under scrutiny in the past few years. The organization, which has been hemorrhaging money as legal fees pile up, unsuccessfully filed for bankruptcy in 2021. Adding insult to injury, NRA membership has been on a steady decline, dropping from almost 6 million to just over 4 million since 2018.

CORRECTION: This story now accurately reflects the type of charges LaPierre is facing at trial.