MANHATTAN (CN) — Monday marked the starting gun in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ civil corruption suit against the National Rifle Association. Opening statements kicked off with longtime NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre watching from the front row of the court’s gallery.
LaPierre could spend the waning days of his tenure as the group’s CEO in the Manhattan courtroom. After more than three decades at the NRA’s helm, the 74-year-old announced Friday — just three days before the start of trial — that he’ll be stepping down at the end of the month.
His resignation hasn’t changed anything for James and her office, however. On Monday afternoon in the ceremonial courtroom of the New York Supreme Court, the state's trial court, a state attorney opened the trial with a scathing and lengthy synopsis of the NRA’s financial misdeeds.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this case is about corruption in a charity,” said Monica Connell, special counsel for the attorney general’s office. “It’s about breaches of trust and it’s about power.”
In her 169-page complaint, James claims LaPierre and other top executives used the NRA as a “personal piggy bank,” misappropriating the group’s donor funds to finance gaudy personal luxuries.
Connell told the jury on Monday that this behavior violates a myriad of state nonprofit laws, not to mention the the trust of NRA donors.
“They should be able to trust that the money that they donated will not be used for luxury travel,” Connell said. “They should be able to trust that their hard-earned money will not be used for trips to the Bahamas.”
James claims LaPierre and his family visited the Bahamas via chartered private jet at least eight times, costing the NRA more than $500,000, and took numerous African safaris on the donors’ dime.
The attorney general’s office estimates that in total the NRA lost $11 million on flights and luxury travel for LaPierre, his family and friends. On many of those NRA-funded flights, the CEO wasn’t even on board.
“The NRA paid over a million dollars on flights which Mr. LaPierre wasn’t even a passenger,” Connell added.
Connell claimed that LaPierre’s corruption didn’t stop at fancy flights, though. The so-called “king of the NRA” also “systematically” rigged the group’s hiring to favor those who would be most loyal to him.
“He systematically filled top positions with people who might not have gotten [the job] if not for Mr. LaPierre's decision to hire them and who owe him their position and their salary,” Connell said.
The state's roughly hourlong opening remarks followed a busy weekend for both sides in the case.
In addition to LaPierre’s sudden resignation, the attorney general’s office struck a deal with another defendant: former NRA chief of staff Joshua Powell, who agreed to a $100,000 settlement.
“Joshua Powell’s admission of wrongdoing and Wayne LaPierre’s resignation confirm what we have alleged for years: the NRA and its senior leaders are financially corrupt,” James said in a statement. “These are important victories in our case, and we look forward to ensuring the NRA and the defendants face justice for their actions.”
Trial started later than anticipated on Monday, leaving no time for defense opening statements. The NRA and other defendants will give their openings on Tuesday morning.
James’ suit accuses the NRA and LaPierre of violating a number of state laws, most of which stem from the group’s nonprofit status. Nonprofits like the NRA are subjected to stricter federal and state restrictions when it comes to spending.
If a jury finds the NRA liable for any of James’ accusations, a second bench trial under Judge Joel Cohen will determine damages. In addition to financial penalties, the NRA could be forced to replace some of the group’s top executives.
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