NRA tax filings show CEO got $2M last year

The National Rifle Association's embattled top executive earned about $2 million last year at a time when the gun rights lobby is beating back challenges from regulators, longtime members and gun control groups, according to tax filings cited in media reports.

The tax filings come as the NRA faces investigations in New York and Washington, D.C., that threaten its nonprofit status. Nonprofits file tax documents every year, and they are a year behind, capturing the NRA's finances for 2018 — the year before internal strife spilled into public view.

The tax filings were not yet publicly available, but news reports in The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post cited the documents. The NRA refused to make them available to The Associated Press, saying its long time policy is only to provide paper copies by mail.

According to the filings, known as 990s, long time NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre's total compensation rose to more than $2 million. His base salary went from $1.17 million to $1.27 million, he received a bonus of about $455,000, and he got about $366,000 from a deferred compensation plan, according to the documents cited in media reports.

NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said in a statement that compensation for La Pierre and other senior officials followed a “detailed analysis conducted by an independent compensation committee. Mr. LaPierre's compensation includes benefits made payable under his retirement plan.”

The news reports drew immediate rebukes from critics.

“This is further evidence that, at this point, LaPierre is more of a burden than an asset to American gun owners,” said Rob Pincus, a longtime NRA member and firearms instructor who is a member of Save the Second, a group calling for LaPierre's resignation and seeking changes to the NRA.

Long viewed as the most powerful gun lobby in the world, the NRA has been facing internal and external pressures over its operations and spending habits. Authorities have launched investigations, and there has been a revolt by members who are questioning the NRA's finances and leadership.