LaPierre Unanimously Re-Elected To NRA’s Top Post After Showdown: Report

Wayne LaPierre was unanimously re-elected to the position of Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Association, Bloomberg is reporting.

The board also elected Carolyn D. Meadows as president, replacing Oliver North who stepped down from a second term Saturday, according to the article. Meadows was previously vice president of the NRA Foundation board of trustees, and also its second vice president.

The vote occurred during the NRA‘s annual board of directors meeting Monday in Indianapolis, after a contentious annual convention weekend where accusations between LaPierre and North played out in the national press.

On Thursday, North accused LaPierre of mishandling the NRA’s finances in a letter to the NRA board. LaPierre countered Friday, claiming North was attempting to blackmail him with public allegations of “financial status, sexual harassment charges” and excessive expenses.

North stepped down from a second term as president Saturday.

Adding to the bad publicity for the gun rights giant, New York’s Attorney General Letitia James announced Saturday that there would be an investigation into the NRA’s finances, issuing subpoenas for documents, according to a Fox News report.

President Donald Trump addressed annual convention attendees Friday, and weighed in on the group’s controversies Monday morning by Twitter:

The NRA is under siege by Cuomo and the New York State A.G., who are illegally using the State’s legal apparatus to take down and destroy this very important organization, & others. It must get its act together quickly, stop the internal fighting, & get back to GREATNESS – FAST!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 29, 2019

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo responded shortly thereafter, hammering Trump for inaction on gun violence.

President Trump: 74,600 Americans have died from gun violence since you were elected.

You have done nothing but tweet about it.

Unlike you, NY is not afraid to stand up to the NRA. As for the NRA, we’ll remember them in our thoughts and prayers. https://t.co/zW5dUnH4IB

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 29, 2019

The NRA is currently under fire from the cities of New York and Los Angeles, with each municipality trying to force businesses to disassociate themselves with the NRA, or face financial or regulatory consequences.