NRA v. Oliver North

Letter from North’s Counsel to NRA General Counsel (Exhibit 3 to Counterclaims)

June 12, 2019

Filing Summary

This exhibit is a letter Oliver North’s counsel sent to the NRA’s general counsel. It responds to the general counsel’s request that North resign from the NRA board due to North’s alleged dual allegiance to both the NRA and Ackerman. North refuses to resign and alleges a campaign of retaliation waged by LaPierre against North.

Key Points

  • According to North’s counsel, on May 31, 2019, the NRA’s general counsel wrote North asking him to resign from the NRA board. (Pg. 3.) That letter claims that North’s alleged dual allegiance to the NRA and Ackerman violates the NRA’s Bylaws and Conflict of Interest and Related-Party Transaction policy. (Pg. 3.) North’s counsel argues that North did not violate any NRA rules. (Pg. 3.) He notes that the NRA Audit Committee ratified North’s contract on September 6, 2018, and that, in any case, Ackerman is no longer a vendor of the NRA. (Pg. 3.) North’s counsel also notes that “screens and other procedural safeguards” are used for at least one other NRA board member, Julie Golob, who also works for Ackerman. (Pg. 3.)
  • North “declines [the] request that he resign from the NRA Board and Executive Council.” (Pg. 2.)
  • North’s counsel states that if “LaPierre continues to retaliate against and disparage … North because … North requested that allegations of financial misconduct at the NRA be independently reviewed, he will continue to harm himself and the NRA, and does so at his own peril.” (Pg. 2.)
  • North counsel’s alleges that LaPierre has taken “multiple adverse actions” against North, including: (1) blocking North’s re-nomination as President of the NRA “despite the fact that … North received significantly more votes from the NRA membership than any other candidate in his two most recent elections to the NRA Board”; (2) “kill[ing] the NRA Crisis Management Committee” established by North; and (3) “promulgat[ing] false information about an attempted ‘coup’” and extortion by North, as well as false information that North “‘double-dipped’ by taking salary from the NRA and from Ackerman.” (Pg. 2.) North’s counsel also states that LaPierre “wrongfully received more than half a million dollars in Italian suits and foreign travel.” (Pg. 4.)