NRA Foundation Denies Allegations in Parent Organization’s Lawsuit

Leaders of the NRA Foundation have vowed to defend themselves and the Foundation against a lawsuit filed by its parent organization.

In an email to The Epoch Times on Jan. 8, the NRA Foundation denied allegations of financial improprieties, trademark infringement, and other claims. The email stated that the Foundation’s board of directors in its work had followed all applicable laws and regulations.

Those included conditions outlined in the 2024 settlement of District of Columbia v. the NRA, which was filed in 2020 against both the NRA and the NRA Foundation by the District of Columbia attorney general, the email stated.

“The NRA Foundation (‘Foundation’) is aware of a lawsuit filed recently by the National Rifle Association (‘NRA’). The Foundation has retained counsel and intends to mount a vigorous defense and pursue all available remedies and relief,” the email reads.

The lawsuit accuses Foundation leadership of trademark infringement, unfair competition, trademark dilution, and unauthorized diversion of charitable assets, among other charges.

The NRA established the Foundation in 1990 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to receive tax-deductible contributions to support “educational, and scientific activities connected with the lawful ownership and use of firearms.”

“The Foundation’s trustees and leadership take their fiduciary obligations to the Foundation seriously,” the email further reads. “Notwithstanding the NRA’s allegations and actions over recent months, the Foundation has continued to provide appropriate funding for qualifying c3 programs of the NRA and other organizations that are consistent with its charitable mission.”

The current lawsuit, filed by the NRA on Jan. 5, claims that “the Foundation has been seized by a disgruntled faction of former NRA directors who lost control of the NRA’s Board,” and has become “adversarial” with the NRA, according to a statement announcing the lawsuit.

According to court documents, the NRA is concerned about the “ongoing and threatened misuse of approximately $160,000,000 raised by or with the NRA.” The NRA claims the Foundation told donors the money would be used for NRA educational, charitable, and non-political work.

The NRA claims, however, that the Foundation board is using the money for its own benefit.

The Foundation had not filed a response with the court as of Jan. 8.

The 2020 District of Columbia lawsuit accused the NRA of allowing its executives to divert millions of dollars of Foundation donations toward “unreasonable expenditures.”

That legal action was filed after New York Attorney General Letitia James separately sued the NRA in 2020. In that action, a New York jury found NRA officials, including longtime CEO Wayne LaPierre, liable for financial misconduct and corruption.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly attributed an emailed statement from the NRA Foundation. The Epoch Times regrets the error.