Thread by @igorvolsky

1/ Given today’s bombshell news that a DOJ official is calling for the dismissal of @NRA’s bankruptcy filing or the appointment of an outside monitor, I’m doing 🧵 highlighting the major revelations from #NRABankruptcyTrial over the last couple of weeks

Buckle in….

@NRA 2/ In Aug, @NewYorkStateAG filed suit to dissolve @NRA given its abuse of state laws governing how non-profit tax-exempt organizations can operate (NRA has been chartered in NY since 1871)

The claims in her suit were absolutely jaw dropping ⬇️

https://twitter.com/igorvolsky/status/1291537690635239425

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 3/ @NRA responded to @NewYorkStateAG’s lawsuit by filing for bankruptcy in Jan & suing the AG in Feb.

This was a strategy to avoid litigation in NY, hide from angry vendors & run away and reincorporate in TX.

Here are the most damning revelations from that trial…

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 4/ After @NewYorkStateAG filed lawsuit, @NRA claimed she sued @NRA “with the sole purpose of seeking to dissolve a political enemy”

At #NRABankruptcyTrial we learned that claim was a lie.

Top @NRA leaders admitted many of @NewYorkStateAG's allegations...

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 5/ @NewYorkStateAG accused LaPierre of using @NRA to enrich himself & friends w/o knowledge ofBoard

- LaPierre admitted free yacht trips from @NRA vendor & other benefits

- Admitted Board never approved $17M contract EVEN IF HE LEFT

- Admitted never told Board about bankruptcy

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 6/ @NRA admitted it diverted $ to pay for the travel, meal, etc for execs.

LaPierre repaid @NRA $300,000 for benefits he got

@NRA owes IRS $3.4 million in taxes & penalties

LaPierre owes IRS $75k

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 7/ LaPierre admitted he shopped at Zegna for suits -- just like millions of real Americans!

Zegna suits cost between $2500 and $22,000 and LaPierre had a regular sales representative at the Beverly Hills boutique!

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 8/ LaPierre claimed that he *had to* fly by private jet everywhere b/c of “security concerns” BUT #NRABankruptcyTrial revealed @NRA had no such written policy.

LaPierre’s travel agent admitted she never got a security policy from NRA nor did she discuss confidentiality

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 9/ LaPierre himself knew the travel was fishy; he instructed the travel agent to omit certain flights and told her how to word invoices for his travel

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 10/ LaPierre believes attorney Bill Brewer, who serves as counsel to @NRA on several matters, is the “only one who can keep me out of jail.” And so he has paid Brewer tens of millions of $$ in @NRA funds...

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 11/ 90 days before bankruptcy filing (that Board didn't know about) @NRA paid Brewer $17.5M (that's more than NRA spent on 2020 POTUS race)

NRA paid Brewer’s law firm $50 - $60M since 2018!

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 12/ @NRA paid Bill Brewer’s firm at least $94k for work related to “Russia”

(Remember this? npr.org/2019/04/27/717…)

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 13/ At #NRABankruptcyTrial, NRA claimed that while it didn’t do *the best job* managing its affair, it has fired the bad actors and is now in good shape….but even after this alleged course correction it was revealed that..

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 14/ @NRA considered buying LaPierre a $6M home (you know, for SECURITY REASONS)

LaPierre’s assistant diverted $40K to pay for son’s wedding; yet she STILL WORKS AT NRA

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 15/ In case you're wondering, @NRA really doesn't believe the rules apply to them:

3 @NRA board members flew 1st class or business class on @NRA’s dime w/o written authorization in November 2020 (months *after* @NewYorkStateAG filed suit claiming misappropriation of funds!)

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 16/ LaPierre admitted @NRA CFO Woody Phillips “had become lax on things,” but after he left, Phillips STILL GOT a consulting contract w/ @NRA for $30,000 a month!

Phillips never performed any work under the contract & at #NRABankruptcyTrial Phillips pled the Fifth at least 80x

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 17/ LaPierre admitted he approved a contract to pay former NRA chief lobbyist Chris Cox $2 million AFTER HE LEFT @NRA & then spent $7.8M in lawyers fees fighting not to pay Cox the $2M!!

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 18/ LaPierre said he fired former ED for General Operations Kyle Weaver b/c he was “over his head” but then @NRA entered a $1.4 million consulting contract with Weaver, w/o board approval (naturally)

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 19/ This is a big one (and is how all totally innocent people behave):

@NRA President Carolyn Meadows admitted she “shredded and actually burned” notes from phone calls & meetings b/c NRA General Counsel John Frazer told her “they could be subpoenaed or used”

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 20/ @NRA publicly says @NewYorkStateAG is attacking a political enemy, but @NRA witnesses admitted she can’t dissolve @NRA unilaterally (NY state courts would have to do that) & LaPierre admitted NY courts are NOT biased against NRA

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 21/ To sum it up, as NRA board member Owen “Buz” Mills testified, “I believe that the management is corrupted and I believe the board is corrupted. I don’t see anything there that is salvageable.”

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG 22/ So where do things stand now with #NRABankruptcyTrial?

The judge presiding over the trial expects to issue a written ruling approximately a week from today.

And my friends at @Everytown
break down the different outcomes here ⬇️

@NRA @NewYorkStateAG @Everytown 23/ For even more details on #NRABankruptcyTrial check out this super helpful resource: nrawatch.org/filings/?casei…