DC Attorney General Investigation

Case Summary

Starting in 2019, District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine investigated the NRA and NRA Foundation for suspected violations of nonprofit law.

The Washington D.C. Attorney General filed a complaint against the NRA and NRA Foundation in D.C. Superior Court on August 6, 2020. The DCAG’s complaint contains five causes of action against the defendants, including that the NRA Foundation exceeded and abused the authority of the charity, and that the Foundation acted contrary to the non-profit purpose of the NRA Foundation. The DCAG alleges that the NRA controlled the Board of Directors of the NRA Foundation and caused the Foundation to undertake actions not in the best interest of the NRA Foundation. The crux of the allegations by the DCAG are that “in recent years, the NRA has experienced financial problems related, in large part, to low membership and the NRA’s decision to continue to waste funds on improper, lavish spending. To plug holes caused by its own poor management, the NRA turned to the Foundation’s funds.”

The case was settled on April 17, 2024, and includes provisions that the NRA Foundation will establish a new conflicts of interest policy, form an audit committee and work with an external auditor, and adopt new policies governing grant making.

Timeline

August 6, 2020
DC AG Files Complaint Against NRA and NRA Foundation
September 23, 2020
NRA Motion to Partially Dismiss DC AG Complaint
October 20, 2020
DC AG Opposition to NRA's Motion to Dismiss
December 21, 2020
DC Court Rejects NRA Motion to Dismiss
December 28, 2020
Scheduling Order in DC AG Litigation Against the NRA and NRA Foundation
February 1, 2021
DC Attorney General’s Litigation Against the NRA Stayed
December 6, 2023
DC Superior Court Schedules Trial in DC AG's Case Against NRA Foundation for April 2024
April 17, 2024
NRA And DC AG Reach Settlement Agreement