The National Rifle Association, which has had its image sullied by former leader Wayne LaPierre's spending excesses, named Doug Hamlin as executive vice president and CEO on Monday, CBS News reports. "Our association is at a decisive moment in our history, and th future of America and constitutional freedoms depends on the success of the NRA," said Hamlin, who has been executive director of the NRA's publications. The NRA board elected former Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) as its new president. "I have been a fighter my whole life and I commit to boldly fight for our Second Amendment rights on behalf of the millions of NRA members," Barr said. "We need to grow our ranks, especially in this election year, and I pledge to focus my attention on doing just that." Former President Trump addressed the group on Saturday and received its endorsement in this year's presidential election. Some 72,000 people attended the 153rd Annual Meetings & Exhibits.
LaPierre was found liable in February at a civil trial in New York of wrongly using millions of dollars of the organization's money to pay for an extravagant lifestyle that included exotic getaways and trips on private planes and superyachts. LaPierre resigned on the eve of the trial. The jury ordered LaPierre to repay almost $4.4 million to the NRA, while the organization's retired finance chief, Wilson Phillips, owed $2 million. The lobbying group failed to properly manage its assets, omitted or misrepresented information in its tax filings and violated whistleblower protections under New York law, jurors found. After reporting a $36 million deficit in 2018 fueled by misspending, the NRA cut back on longstanding programs, including training and education, recreational shooting, and law enforcement initiatives. John Feinblatt of Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for stricter gun control, called Hamlin "a longtime insider," adding that "the NRA's chaotic infighting and financial doom spiral shows no signs of stopping."