Board Members Becoming Concerned?

Last month, we covered a letter from NRA director and businessman Bill Bachenberg to the other members of the board, reflecting his concerns about how the search for a new Executive Vice President was being conducted. “The free world is watching, we can’t let our members, America’s gun owners and manufacturers down at this critical time.  LET’S GET THIS RIGHT, the stakes are too high and there will be no second chance.”

Now director Al Hammond has raised his own concerns. “I am deeply concerned about our future and the involvement of the lead counsel [Bill Brewer] in the governance of the day to day operations of the NRA. NRA Secretary John Frazer still could face disciplinary action and or dismissial by the judge based on the findings as well. Please read both these documents. We were never told about all of these conclusions and the subsequent consequences if we don’t make a course correction.“

Our educated guess is that we’re seeing a hidden power struggle. Director Buz Mills predicted that, three months ago:

“Meanwhile, in Fairfax the selected leadership is scheming to continue the abuse suffered over the last few decades instead of following the bylaws for the succession of the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer (EVP). The selected leadership wants a special election to install the enabler and facilitator of all the previous chicanery. None other than our duly selected President, he is the man more responsible than any other for permitting our selected leadership to rampantly run roughshod over our membership and benefactors.”

If that’s the case, then consider: director Marion Hammer suggests a different process, aborting the anointing, and NRA “leadership” terminates her contract. Head of General Operations Joe DeBergalis reportedly has differences with Bill Brewer, and is fired. Head of Human Resources Linda Crouch is terminated, for no known reason. Is the message being sent? Differ with “leadership” and in particular its plans for succession to the throne, and you’re out. It doesn’t matter if you are a very long term director, or senior staff. There’s no real course correction here, just a few different people on the bridge to carry out the same plans with the same ruthlessness.

If the board were to rebel, on the other hand, how different things might be! Turn NRA from what it is – a manner of big shooting club, where insiders grab the benefits and purge their enemies or rivals and reward their buddies – into what it ought to be, a 4-5 million member organization with a $200-300 million budget and real purposes, run by people who know what they are doing.

Bachenberg, Hammond, Buz Mills, Hammer – we don’t think the Nominating Committee will take long to cross them off the list before their next election. We don’t see where they have much to lose, and the rest of the board (unless it is okay with turning NRA over to Bill Brewer and his puppets) is in a similar situation. May the shades of Harlon Carter and Neal Knox rise to inspire them. . . .