Conflict of Interest and the NRA Board of Directors

As I noted in my previous post, a member’s resolution expressing no confidence in NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and members of the board (ir)responsible for oversight of the organization was read at the annual meeting of members. This was an accomplishment as members of the NRA’s old guard (including members of the Board of Directors themselves) attempted to prevent introduction of the resolution by moving to adjourn them meeting before the resolution was read.

In the end, the “Revolt at Indy” was beaten back by a successful motion by NRA Secretary John Frazier to refer the resolution to the NRA Board of Directors for consideration. Yes, the very same Board some of whose members were criticized in the resolution.

I don’t know that you have to be an ethicist or attend law school to know a conflict of interest when you see one this obvious. But Tiffany Johnson IS an attorney as well as a firearms trainer and supporter of the NRA. She wrote a letter (PDF linked here) to the NRA Board of Directors asking those who have a conflict of interest in the resolution to recuse themselves from consideration.

Screen cap of letter from Tiffany Johnson to NRA Board of Directors, April 2019.

At this point it is not clear whether conflicted members of the Board of Directors will do the right thing and recuse themselves from consideration of the critical resolution.  But if news breaking from the meeting of the Board this morning is any indication, the answer is going to be a resounding NO.