- Wayne LaPierre, 74, announced Friday at a board meeting in Texas that he is resigning
- The gun rights chief will face a civil corruption lawsuit Monday brought by New York AG Letitia James
- LaPierre cited health reasons for his dismissal. He will be replaced by interim CEO Andrew Arulanandam
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National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre has announced he is leaving his position just days before his corruption trial begins in New York.
The 74-year-old submitted his resignation on Friday, citing 'health reasons'.
“It is with pride for all we have accomplished that I announce my resignation from the NRA,” LaPierre said in a press release.
“I have been a 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 freedoms. My passion for our cause burns as deep as ever.”
His resignation is effective Jan. 31 and Andrew Arulanandam, director and chief general operations officer of the NRA, will serve as interim CEO and executive vice president.
NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre announced his resignation Friday, just days before his New York corruption trial was set to begin
LaPierre, pictured at a 2022 NRA meeting with Donald Trump, is accused of siphoning off millions of dollars to pay for his lavish lifestyle
The announcement came during a board meeting in Irving, Texas. and was accepted by NRA President Charles Cotton.
“On behalf of the NRA Board of Directors, I thank Wayne LaPierre for his service. Wayne has done as much to protect Second Amendment freedoms as anyone,” Cotton said.
“Wayne is a towering figure in the fight for constitutional freedom, but one of his other talents is just as important: he built an organization bigger than himself.
“Under Andrew Arulanandam's leadership, the NRA will continue to thrive – with a renewed energy in our operations and grassroots advocacy. Our future is bright and secure.”
The announcement comes as LaPierre is set to stand trial in the corruption case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Before her election, James vowed to take on the NRA, which she called a “terrorist organization.”
She filed a lawsuit in 2020 accusing NRA heads of violating state and federal laws and lining their pockets with millions of dollars.
LaPierre was re-elected to office in 2021 despite the ongoing civil case alleging he siphoned off millions to pay for travel and other lavish items.
The NRA board of directors has re-elected Wayne LaPierre as the group's CEO, despite multiple controversies facing the organization under his leadership
The NRA continues to face a corruption case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James (pictured), alleging its leadership diverted millions to fund a lavish lifestyle
In May 2021, the group made an unsuccessful bid to file for bankruptcy to move the organization from New York to Texas, which LaPierre admitted was to avoid the lawsuit.
But federal Judge Harlin Hale denied the case, claiming it was filed in bad faith, calling LaPierre's behavior “nothing short of shocking.”
The gun rights group tried unsuccessfully to stop the attack The corruption investigation cannot proceed by arguing that Democrat James is politically motivated and violated the First Amendment because he tried to silence the speech because she didn't like what it stood for.
But the appeal was unanimously rejected and the trial will begin on January 8 in the New York Supreme Court.