Newtown massacre divided NRA leaders, foreshadowing split to come

[DonViejo]

By Carol D. Leonnig, Beth Reinhard and Tom Hamburger July 3 at 3:54 PM

Twenty young children had just been gunned down by a semiautomatic rifle in their classrooms in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012, and inside the hardened bunker of the National Rifle Association, rattled officials were wrestling with rare feelings of self-doubt.

In the past, the gun rights organization had responded to mass shootings with unapologetic, high-profile attacks on any attempt to restrict firearms. But several senior NRA officials — laid low by images of sobbing parents planning their children’s funerals rather than tucking presents under Christmas trees — thought the organization should take a less confrontational approach this time, according to multiple people familiar with the internal debate.

Over the objections of some top officials, however, NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre struck a defiant posture. In fiery public appearances crafted by the organization’s longtime advertising firm Ackerman McQueen, LaPierre announced that the group would create a model program to train armed security guards who could protect schools from shooters, saying that was the only measure that would keep children safe.

Then LaPierre and his wife left for the Bahamas, a trip they billed through Ackerman McQueen — and was ultimately paid for by the nonprofit organization. Their post-Christmas flights to and from Eleuthera, known for its pink beaches, cost the NRA nearly $70,000, according to internal documents and people familiar with the trip.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/newtown-massacre-divided-nra-leaders-foreshadowing-split-to-come/2019/07/03/40c45d82-9757-11e9-916d-9c61607d8190_story.html

[gratuitous]

1. Wow, 28 people dead, including 20 children; what to do?

The NRA has shown you, O mortal, what is good: Hate blindly, demonize survivors, and run loudly to Fox.

[Xolodno]

2. What a shock *sarcasm*

Wayne becomes more defiant and then takes a vacay to the Bahamas. Now there's a strong sense of empathy and ethics.

Keep people buying guns while he lives it up.

[bobbieinok]

3. Wanna bet those who wanted different response were kicked out or shortly left?

[Blue_Tires]

4. Nevermind the fact that the NRA did jack shit to condemn their members

who were pushing that "The kids are really alive and Obama set this whole thing up with Hollywood CGI so he could declare martial law and grab all our guns" - conspiracy bullshit...

[maxsolomon]

5. This comes out 6 1/2 years later?

Crimony.

Privilege on parade.