“What she decides to do – and let me set the table here for a second – this Letitia James is a Trump-hating, NRA-hating individual, who made both a central theme of her campaign when she ran for attorney general in liberal New York State, if I need to add that myself.
“So she is coming through with her promise that she was going to destroy the NRA.
“But look, I’ve prosecuted organizations or individuals who cheated their organizations, okay. It happens all the time. It’s no big deal. Alright?
“But this is her conclusion – she says, ‘now I’m going to move to dissolve the NRA.’ You’re gonna dissolve the NRA? It is the biggest voice for gun owners in America. Is this suddenly starting to sound political?” – Jeanine Pirro, today on Fox News.
1/ I just finished reading @NewYorkStateAG’s 169 page lawsuit against @NRA and I’m shocked beyond belief at the level of corruption, lawlessness, and self-dealing.
What follows is a THREAD that highlights the very worst abuses alleged by @TishJames.
Buckle in.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
2/ To sum it up, LaPierre & his lieutenants spent millions of dollars in membership dues paid by @NRA members who were told their #2A rights were at risk… on lavish trips & vacations, kickbacks and sweetheart deals… all in violation of NRA rules & IRS requirements
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
3/ According to the lawsuit, LaPierre spent *at least* $1.3 million chartering private flights between 2016 and 2018 for himself and his family members.
Turns out, he wasn’t even present on many of those flights!
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
4/ From May 2015 to April 2019, @NRA incurred over 1 million dollars in expenses for private flights when LaPierre was not a passenger.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
5/ In October 2016, LaPierre authorized a private flight for his wife to fly alone from Madison, WI, to Kearney, NE.
Asked why she did not use a commercial airline, LaPierre testified “I think it was probably easier to fly private, more convenient.”
Cost of flight: $8,800.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
6/ LaPierre and his family visited the Bahamas by private air charter on at least 8 occasions, at a cost of $500,000+ to @NRA.
On many of those trips, LaPierre and his family were gifted the use of a 107-foot yacht owned by @NRA vendor.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
7/ @NRA rails against “Hollywood elite” & celebrities, but LaPierre testified he visits the Bahamas in December to attend a “celebrity retreat” organized by an individual who also happens to be a principal stakeholder in businesses that have business relationships with NRA!
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
8/ When LaPierre attends these retreats, which are normally held annually in the Bahamas in December, he stays at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
9/ But don’t worry, LaPierre often visits the Bahamas in the summer as well! During these trips, he stays on a 108-foot yacht named Illusions.
It has 4 staterooms, a 16-foot jet boat, and 2 jet skis.
LaPierre described Illusions as “a big, big yacht” w/ a crew & a chef
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
10/ LaPierre has never disclosed his use of the yacht on @NRA Financial Disclosure Questionnaires that he, as an officer and ex officio director of the NRA, must submit to the NRA Secretary annually.
Oops?
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
11/ LaPierre testified he has never received a gift of value in excess of $250 from an @NRA contractor or employee of an NRA contractor.
But of course LaPierre’s use of the yacht constituted a gift from an NRA contractor in excess of $250 requiring disclosure under NRA policy.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
12/ LaPierre also testified that he has stayed on Illusions during two European trips for the purpose of recruiting ~celebrities~ for @NRA.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
13/ @NRA uses a dedicated travel agency. But they’re not good enough for LaPierre. @NewYorkStateAG‘s lawsuit reveals LaPierre uses his own travel consultant — and pays them exorbitant fees (with @NRA membership dues of course).
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
14/ In 2014, the fixed fee for LaPierre’s travel agent’s services was $15,000 a month.
In May 2015, LaPierre’s Travel Consultant’s monthly fee increased to $19,000.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
15/ From August 2014 to January 2020, @NRA paid LaPierre’s Travel Consultant more than **$13.5 million**
In 2018, the NRA paid LaPierre’s Travel Consultant $2,630,531.71
In the first six months of 2019 alone, the NRA paid LaPierre’s Travel Consultant $1,007,597.80
I mean…
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
16/ If that wasn’t enough, @NRA also reimburses LaPierre for exorbitant personal expenses.
Between 2013 and 2017, LaPierre was reimbursed for more than $1.2 million in expenses, including…
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
17/ Some of LaPierre’s personal expenses reimbursed by @NRA:
– $65,000 for Christmas gifts for his staff, donors, friends.
– $648.55 in gifts from Neiman Marcus to that highly paid travel consultant
– $1,590 in Christmas gifts to the co-founder of Ackerman
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
18/ Each of these gifts was substantially in excess of the $25 limit permitted by the IRS for business gifts. To say the least.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
19/ Fancy hotel rooms for family members were also paid for by @NRA:
– $12,332.75 for his niece’s 8-night stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in Dallas, TX.
– In 2016 and 2017, LaPierre was reimbursed over $38,000 in expenses for his niece’s airfare & lodging
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
20/ Between 2009 and 2017, LaPierre expensed over $100,000 in membership fees for a golf club located in the Washington D.C. area.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) August 7, 2020
Judge Jeanine Pirro on the NRA’s alleged charity fraud: “I prosecuted organizations or individuals who cheated their organizations, OK? It happens all the time. It’s no big deal, all right?” pic.twitter.com/I4WmqXlVJI
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) August 7, 2020