NRA Board of Directors Election

[Charles L. Cotton]

As many of you know, I have been on the NRA Board of Directors since 2001. During those years, I have had the honor to work with dozens of dedicated fellow Board members. Every year, twenty-five Board members are elected. There are many great candidates for election and re-election to the NRA Board of Directors and I would respectfully request your support of four (4) people I greatly respect. Three of these people are current NRA Board Members and one is hardly a stranger to gun owners in Texas.

James “Jim� Dark Jim is currently Executive Director of the Texas State Rifle Association. As the Vice-Chairman of the TSRA Legislative Committee, I have had the pleasure of working with Jim on many of the issues addressed by the TSRA in it’s legislative efforts. His dedication to the TSRA and gun owners is evident in everything Jim does. Under Jim’s leadership, the TSRA was honored as the NRA State Association of the Year for 2004. Jim is well qualified to assume the duties of an NRA Board Member and I know he will approach those duties with the same diligence he has exhibited on behalf of Texas gun owners.

Robert L. “Bob� Viden Bob Viden has been on the NRA Board of Directors since 1997. You can see a list of just some of his accomplishments by clicking on the link above. I have been active in gun rights issues for over twenty-seven years, but when I see what Bob does in not-so-gun-friendly New Jersey, I sometimes feel guilty. The battles we have in Texas are mere picnics compared to Bob’s fight for gun owners in New Jersey. Click on the above link for more information on Bob’s efforts on behalf of New Jersey gun owners. But biographies can never tell the full story about someone. Bob is truly dedicated to gun owners and to bringing young people into the shooting sports. He owns and runs a gun store and indoor shooting range in New Jersey and is one of a relative handful of people who have a license to carry a concealed handgun. He’s an active NRA Certified Instructor, again doing everything he can to spread the word about the benefits of gun ownership. Bob developed the NRA Day program and other innovative approaches to expanding gun ownership in the politically hostile environment in New Jersey. The NRA needs to keep Bob on the Board.

Dwight Van Horn Dwight is a firearms expert in the truest since of the word. Not only is he an accomplished competitive shooter and Chairman of the NRA Action Pistol Committee, he a ballistics expert who has testified in many trials. Of significance to gun owners everywhere, Dwight is one of the foremost opponents of so-called ballistic fingerprinting. His expertise lends tremendous credibility to his testimony against adoption of such ill-advised programs. We need to keep Dwight’s talents on the NRA Board of Directors. Follow the link to a very abbreviated list of Dwight’s credentials.

Carol Bambrey Carol too is a current NRA Board Member seeking re-election to the Board. I have had the opportunity to work with Carol on the NRA Legal Affairs Committee, the NRA President’s Special Committee on Right to Carry (Carol is Vice-Chairman), the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Board of Trustees and the steering committee for the NRA Annual Firearms Law Seminar. I have never seen a harder-working Board Member. Carol’s years of practice as an attorney has also afforded her the opportunity to have a direct and beneficial effect on Michigan State laws and regulations as they relate to gun owners. If Carol could figure a way to add another 5 hours to a 24 hour day, she would spend them working on Second Amendment issues.

I know some of you have seen this in an email from me and some of you will get another email. Good, vote twice (just kidding). Your support for these candidates would be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions about any of these folks, don’t hesitate to contact me at any time.

Regards,
Chas.

[Rex B]

Charles,
I only recently joined NRA. How is the voting done - online, or will I get a ballot in the mail?

Rex B

[j1132s]

I've been an nra member, but always just either an annual or multi year member (currently on a 5yr membership). I don't think I can vote in NRA board elections; I think you have to be a life member. Can anyone confirm/deny this? Thanks.

[Charles L. Cotton]

NRA voting members are life members and annual members with five years of uninterrupted membership.

The ballots come in the "official journal" you receive; i.e. American Rifleman, American Hunter, etc.

Chas.

[Rex B]

I don't think I've ever been a member of an organization that does not allow every paid member to vote on officers.

[Charles L. Cotton]

I don't think I've ever been a member of an organization that does not allow every paid member to vote on officers.

NRA has long had this rule to prevent a surge of anti-gunners from joining just to vote in the elections. Until a few years ago, only life members could vote, but it was changed because no one felt the anti's would pay for membership for five years just to vote.

Chas.

[CaptDave]

Charles:

Thanks for the info. You can count on our support.

"Vote RIGHT and vote OFTEN".

Dave

[DMG]

Five years of "uninterrupted" membership

[longtooth]

I'm so old I lost count.

[HankB]

Charles, thank you for the suggestions - about all I know about candidates is what's printed in the magazine, and, well, I just take it for ad copy.

How do you view these four people on fiscal responsibility? The NRA is a big association, with big budgets, (LaPierre reportedly is paid nearly $900,000 a year) and a few years back, there was a whiff of scandal on how the finances were being handled . . . IIRC, the reaction of some Board members to proposed reforms dealing with potential conflicts of interest was not pretty.

[RPBrown]

I knew of Bob, Jim, and Dwight. Did not know anything about Carol. Thank you for your recommendations.

I will take your word on Carol.

[cxm]

Charles,

Your endorsement is good enough for me...

Are you up for re-election too?

V/r

Chuck

[Charles L. Cotton]

Charles, thank you for the suggestions - about all I know about candidates is what's printed in the magazine, and, well, I just take it for ad copy.

How do you view these four people on fiscal responsibility? The NRA is a big association, with big budgets, (LaPierre reportedly is paid nearly $900,000 a year) and a few years back, there was a whiff of scandal on how the finances were being handled . . . IIRC, the reaction of some Board members to proposed reforms dealing with potential conflicts of interest was not pretty.

Wayne LaPierre isn't paid anything close to 900,000 per year! The Board votes on salaries of the elected officers, so we all know what each is paid.

I'm on the Finance Committee as well as other committees. We have a policy that requires the disclosure of financial dealings of $2,000 or more, so I feel confident that there are no conflicts of interest. I've only been on the Board since 2001, so I have no personal knowledge of what occurred prior to that time.

Chas.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Charles,

Are you up for re-election too?

V/r

Chuck

Not until nex year.
Chas.

[aerod1]

Your endorsement is good enough for me also. They can count on my vote. All I know is what I read so if you know of any other worthy candidates please let us know.

Thanks,

Jim