Rocky Marshall Responds To Barr’s Falsehood

Earlier today, NRA President Bob Barr sent an email out to the Board of Directors with “a litigation update.” It details what the Special Litigation Committee agrees with in the NYAG’s proposed judgment and what it disagrees with. Towards the end of the email Barr accuses Director Rocky Marshall of submitting an affidavit ” in support of the NYAG’s demands for additional relief against the NRA.” You can read the whole email here where it has been reposted on Facebook.

Rocky did not take this lying down and has responded at length. He has requested that his response be published in its entirety along with his affidavit and a joint letter submitted by Rocky and Buz Mills to the New York court in August. I am happy to provide Rocky a public forum to set the record straight. As Tom Gresham of Gun Talk Radio has often said, “A lie left unchallenged becomes the truth.”

Here is Rocky’s letter in its entirety:

October 6, 2024
To: Bob Barr
From: Rocky Marshall
CC: NRA Board of Directors and all NRA Members
Not Privileged and Not Confidential – Share with as many NRA members as possible


NRA President Bob Barr:
In your email addressed to the NRA Board of Directors (dated October 6, 2024), includes a retaliation statement towards me directly. Because of this attack, I am compelled to respond to the NRA Board of Directors and also to all NRA members in a public forum.


In your email, you comment that I provided an affidavit “in support of the NYAG’s request for additional relief”. This is untrue, blatantly false, and is a feeble small minded political attack. The affidavit that I signed was not a statement of support but instead was a true account of the resolution to dissolve the Special Litigation Committee (SLC) and the subsequent outcome of the vote (See attached affidavit).


For the record, the NRA Directors who supported Wayne LaPierre and now support maintaining the Brewer law firm into perpetuity, misused the parliamentarian rules and recorded the vote as having not passed with a super majority. As it turns out, according to the New York AG’s charitable division, NY law says a majority of the board governs unless the bylaws says otherwise, NRA’s bylaws adopt Robert’s Rules, but only as to deliberations, not voting, so for voting the NY statute applies and a simple majority is enough. In other words, the majority of the Board voted to end the SLC and by default terminate the employment of the Bill Brewer law firm. I join with the majority of the Board and echo this simple but monumental refrain: “Bill Brewer You’re Fired!”


NRA Members:
President Barr (unfortunately) is a central member of the NRA Directors identified in the NYAG’s statement as: “Many of the same NRA directors who failed in their duty to oversee the NRA during an era of “ill-considered,” “wasteful,” and “disastrous” efforts to “avoid accountability” continue to serve on the Board today. Id. at 2253:9-13.” President Barr and the members of the SLC continue to take action that is adverse and detrimental to the stability and future of the NRA. The SLC is operating beyond its authority and every member of the SLC should immediately resign for the good of the order.


President Barr also identifies issues that are described as “areas of disagreement” with the NYAG’s proposal. I completely disagree with President Barr and the Brewer Law firm position that is being promoted which does not represent the majority of the NRA Directors.


Forms of Relief:
Board Size Referendum – This idea is the result of the court being informed by NRA members and other expert witnesses that the NRA Board size is too large. This is an arbitrary solution to a perceived problem. I believe that an optimal Board size can be determined after reviewing the work that is currently being performed at the Board level. In total, there are 44 committees that perform a wide variety of oversight and also managerial tasks. This is worth reviewing, but is not a quick fix to a suggested solution.


In a letter to Judge Cohen on August 14, 2024, Buz Mills and I drafted a similar idea (attachment)
Item# 10 We propose that the appropriate size of the NRA Board of Directors be determined in reviewing best practices of similar boards with significant numbers of committees. We suggest that this item be delegated to the new leadership of NRA 2.0 to investigate and propose a solution to the NYAG’s charitable division that can be mutually agreed upon.


Director Nomination: This idea is a good attempt at removing the punitive bias and retaliation that has existed with the NRA nominating Committee historically and thru the current election cycle. Enlarging
the number of candidates for the Board would provide NRA members more options to choose among qualified candidates as opposed to hand selected candidates by the old guard. I fully support this idea and will work to implement with the NRA Directors during this election cycle.


In a letter to Judge Cohen on August 14, 2024, Buzz Mills and I drafted a similar idea: Item #2 The NRA 2.0 Leadership has recruited candidates to be considered in the next election cycle and we request that all eligible candidates be automatically included on the next election ballot which will be voted on by members in January 2025. The Nominating Committee should be directed to approve every candidate who meets the basic qualifications: Life Member or above for at least five years. Any current Directors running for reelection should be excluded from the ballot if the Director has poor attendance in the previous year of service.

Committee Membership: Removing directors that served on key committees during the critical years whereby fiduciary oversight was absent is a just and appropriate result due to negligence. I fully support this idea and confident that the NRA will have excellent committees in place in the coming weeks.

In a letter to Judge Cohen on August 14, 2024, Buzz Mills and I drafted a similar idea: Item #6 All individuals identified in phase 1 trial as in support of, enabling, facilitating the misuse of funds of the NRA, and all identified “cabal” members be banned from holding any office, chair or vice chair or tier 1 committee member for 3 years.

Committees of the Board: This is an idea proposed by the NYAG and I do not believe will improve the functioning of the committees. The downside to this idea is that potentially a committee (such as the SLC) could operate independently of the Board. As long as good Directors are in place, the committees should be able to operate in accordance with the goals and the direction provided by the entire Board. However, if the committee is operating adverse to the Board then the consequences can be significant.

Compliance Consultant: This idea identified by the NYAG is to provide additional external oversight. I disagree with the NYAG’s position because we have abundant oversight in place. I testified during the trial that we do not have a process problem but instead have a people problem. All of the corruption that occurred was due to the individuals managing the NRA and the NRA Directors that were complicit. We have proper controls in place thanks to Doug Hamlin, Sonya Rawlings, and Bob Mensinger and all transactions are being audited and verified.

Internal Control Audit : This is also an idea proposed by the NYAG to assure that all processes, transactions are being managed correctly. This is not a big issue and the NRA can easily adopt.


NRA members, we are making great strides with all of the changes that been implemented and today the NRA Board of Directors has a majority of good Directors that will shape the future of the NRA for decades to come. As you can sense by this letter, we have issues to resolve and will correct the problems of the past in order to return the NRA back to you – the members. NRA 2.0 is here and we need your support.


Sincerely,


Rocky Marshall
NRA Board Director 2021, 2024-present

The first attachment referred to by Rocky is his affidavit. I have read it multiple times and it is, in my opinion, a straightforward recital of the vote regarding the attempted dissolution of the Special Litigation Committee. I reported on that almost two weeks ago in an annotated post. The annotations indicated who is up for re-election and how they were nominated.

The other document that Rocky refers to in his letter is the joint letter that he and Buz Mills sent to Judge Cohen.

Revamped NRA 2024-2025 Committee Assignments

NRA President Bob Barr had made a number of committee assignments that were, in my opinion, ill-conceived in light of Judge Cohen’s interim decision in Phase 2 of the NRA’s trial in New York. Many of the assignments had been in direct conflict with the judge’s decision. However, cooler heads prevailed and Barr has now made a revamped assortment of committee assignments. I understand he made these after discussing them with 1st VP Bill Bachenberg and 2nd VP Mark Vaughan.

Below you will find the new assignments for all committees. Most significantly, Charles Cotton and David Coy neither head nor are members of the Audit or Finance Committees respectively. Moreover, Cotton no longer heads nor is a member of the Ethics Committee.

Here are all the assignments.

(1) ACTION SHOOTING COMMITTEE
Dwight D. Van Horn, Chairman
Don Martin, Vice Chairman
William H. Allen
Clel Baudler
John M. Gordon
George Mowbray


(2) AIR GUN
Edie P. Fleeman, Chairman
Patricia A. Clark, Vice Chairman
Ted W. Carter
Clyde Furr
Amy James
Lisa Kelley


(3) AUDIT
Curtis S. Jenkins, Chairman
Charles R. Beers III, Vice Chairman
Rocky Marshall
Ronald L. Schmeits
Eb Wilkinson


(4) BLACK POWDER
David G. Coy, Chairman
Johnny Nugent, Vice Chairman
David A. Keene
Don Saba
Terri Townsend


(5) BYLAWS & RESOLUTIONS
Carol Frampton, Chairman
Scott L. Bach, Vice Chairman
Larry E. Craig
Phillip B. Journey
John C. Sigler
Danny Stowers
James L. Wallace
Judi White

(6) CLUBS & ASSOCIATIONS
Maria Heil, Chairman
Bill Miller, Vice Chairman
Donald Bradway
Charles L. Cotton
Steven W. Dulan
Rick Ector
Todd Ellis
Al Hammond
Antonio Hernandez
Charles T. Hiltunen III
Tom King
James L. Wallace
Michael O. Ware
Cathy Wright


(7) COLLEGIATE PROGRAMS
Edie P. Fleeman, Chairman
David Raney, Vice Chairman
Paul Benneche
Cathy Callahan
Ted W. Carter
David G. Coy
Isaac Demarest
Bruce Widener


(8) COMPETITION RULES & PROGRAMS
Dwight D. Van Horn, Chairman
Clel Baudler, Vice Chairman
William H. Allen
Thomas P. Arvas
Patricia A. Clark
David G. Coy
Edie P. Fleeman
Tom King
Jay Printz
John C. Sigler
Howard J. Walter


(9) DISABLED SHOOTING SPORTS
Clel Baudler, Chairman
Tom King, Vice Chairman
William Bachenberg
Anthony P. Colandro
Marco Delarosa
Matt Guedes
Graham Hill
Robin Kelleher
Edward Mays
Regis Synan


(10) EDUCATION & TRAINING
Ronnie G. Barrett, Chairman
Todd Ellis, Vice Chairman
Charles R. Beers III
Donald Bradway
Anthony P. Colandro
Charles L. Cotton
James Cozort
Rick Ector
Scott Johnson
Owen Buz Mills
Janet D. Nyce
Mitch O’Neal-Mitchell
Amanda Suffecool
Thomas Tuggle


(11) ELECTIONS
J. William Carter, Chairman
Don Saba, Vice Chairman
Rick Ector
Edward J. Land, Jr.
Steve Schreiner


(12) ETHICS
Blaine Wade, Chairman
Mark Vaughan, Vice Chairman
Ronnie G. Barrett
Clel Baudler
Maria Heil
Jay Printz
Barbara Rumpel

4
(13) F-CLASS HIGH POWER RIFLE
John C. Sigler, Chairman
Howard J. Walter, Vice Chairman
Dan Bramley
David G. Coy
Charles Rowe
Matt Schwartzkopf


(14) FINANCE (7-10)
Eb Wilkinson, Chairman
Patricia A. Clark, Vice Chairman
William A. Bachenberg
Joel Friedman
Curtis S. Jenkins
Bill Miller
Buz Mills
Don Saba
Ronald L. Schmeits
Amanda Suffecool


(15) GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT
Cathy Wright, Chairman
Amanda Suffecool, Vice Chairman
James Chapman
Richard S. Figueroa
Sandra S. Froman
Craig Haggard
Jeffrey Knox
David Raney
Mark Robinson
Don Saba
Steve Schreiner
James A. Tomes
Linda L. Walker
Judi White
Eb Wilkinson


(16) GUN COLLECTORS
Blaine Wade, Chairman
Robert J. Wos, Vice Chairman
Paul Babaz
Eric Beeby
Craig Bell
Allan D. Cors
Garry James
Mike Papac
David Prawdzik
Wayne Anthony Ross
Richard F. Shea
Bruce Widener


(17) HEARINGS
Larry Craig, Chairman
Charles Hiltunen III, Vice Chairman
Sharon Callan
Carol Frampton
Niger Innis
Scott Johnson
David Raney
Jay Wallace
Eb Wilkinson


(18) HIGH POWER RIFLE
Howard J. Walter, Chairman
Thomas J. Layou, Vice Chairman
Isaac Demarest
Dennis R. Flaharty
Tom King
Denise Loring
John C. Sigler
Brad Sutherland

(19) HUNTING &WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Ward M. French, Chairman
Stephen R. Plaster, Vice Chairman
Tim Archer
Charles R. Beers III
Paul Babaz
Jefferey Crane
Carol Frampton
Aurelia Skipworth Giacometto
Mike Ingram
Andrew McIntyre
Mitzy McCorvey
Barry Partlo
Mark Peterson
Tyler Ruhland
Nick Wiley


(20) LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE
Jay Printz, Chairman
Blaine E. Wade, Vice Chairman
William H. Allen
Clel Baudler
Sharon Callan
Louis Hunter
Wayne Ivey
Robert Rotter
Randy Sutton
Robert Vadasz
Dwight D. Van Horn
Mark E. Vaughan


(21) LEGAL AFFAIRS
Sandra S. Froman, Chairman
Scott L. Bach, Vice Chairman
Bob Barr
Steven Dulan
Carol Frampton
Charles T. Hiltunen III
Curtis S. Jenkins
John C. Sigler

(22) LEGISLATIVE POLICY
Kayne Robinson, Chairman
Larry E. Craig, Vice Chairman
Joe M. Allbaugh
Scott L. Bach
Bob Barr
Allan D. Cors
Dennis Fusaro
Sandra S. Froman
Graham Hill
Charles L. Hiltunen III
Niger Innis
Curtis S. Jenkins
David A. Keene
Matt Kilgo
Jeffrey Knox
Carolyn D. Meadows
Alan B. Mollohan
James W. Porter II
David Raney
Robert A. Rotter
Barbara Rumpel
John C. Sigler
Linda L. Walker
Eb Wilkinson

Federal Affairs Subcommittee
Sandra S. Froman, Chairman
Charles L. Hiltunen III, Vice Chairman
Allan D. Cors
Graham Hill
Jeffrey Knox
Allan B. Mollohan


International Affairs Subcommittee
Bob Barr, Chairman
Eb Wilkinson, Vice Chairman
Larry Craig
Dennis Fusaro
Niger Innis
David A. Keene
David Raney
Kayne Robinson


State & Local Affairs Subcommittee
Scott L. Bach, Chairman
John Sigler, Vice Chairman
Joe Allbaugh
Curtis S. Jenkins
Matt Kilgo
Rob Rotter
Barbara Rumpel
Linda Walker


(23) MEMBERSHIP
Blaine E. Wade, Chairman
Kayne B. Robinson, Vice Chairman
Paul Babaz
Dean Cain
Anthony Colandro
Todd Ellis
Dennis Fusaro
David E. Fitzmorris
Mitzy McCorvey
Jay Printz
James Schenck
Judi White


(24) MILITARY & VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
Leroy Sisco, Chairman
Jay Printz, Vice Chairman
Joe M. Allbaugh
Ted Carter
Lou Davis
Jack Hagan
Robin Kelleher
Jeffrey Knox
Edward J. Land, Jr.
Scott Neil
David Norcross
George Petersen
John C. Sigler


(25) NOMINATING
Jay Printz, Chairman
Robert Mansell, Vice Chairman
Scott L. Bach
Charles R. Beers III
Cynthia Flannigan
Duane Liptak
David Raney
Bryan Tucker
Judi White

(26) OUTREACH
J. Kenneth Blackwell, Chairman
Antonio Hernandez, Vice Chairman
Betty Cardenas
Chris Cheng
Rick Ector
Rick Figueroa
Lucretia Hughes
Niger Innis
Susannah Kipke
Mark Robinson
Thomas Tuggle
Norma Lee Valle


(27) PISTOL
William H. Allen, Chairman
Kenneth A. Boyd, Vice Chairman
Ted Carter
David G. Coy
Paul Pluff
Robert Vadasz
Tom Yost


(28) PROTEST
Clel Baudler, Chairman
Edie P. Fleeman, Vice Chairman
Ted W. Carter
John C. Sigler
Howard J. Walter


(29) PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Scott L. Bach, Chairman
Ronnie G. Barrett, Vice Chairman
J. Kenneth Blackwell
Dean Cain
Sandra S. Froman
Charles T. Hiltunen III
Greer Johnson
Tom King
Carolyn D. Meadows
Grover Norquist
David Raney
Kayne B. Robinson
Mark Robinson
James Schenck
Dwight Van Horn
James L. Wallace
Jay Wallace


(30) PUBLICATIONS POLICIES
David A. Keene, Chairman
Ronald L. Schmeits, Vice Chairman
Joe M. Allbaugh
Shad Ketcher
Robert Mansell
Owen Buz Mills
Kayne B. Robinson
Blaine E. Wade


(31) RANGE DEVELOPMENT
David G. Coy, Chairman
Ronnie G. Barrett, Vice Chairman
Donald J. Bradway
Anthony P. Colandro
Isaac Demarest
Al Hammond
Robert E. Mansell
Don Saba
Danny Stowers
Robert J. Wos

(32) SHOTGUN
Thomas P. Arvas, Chairman
Kim Rhode, Vice Chairman
David G. Coy
Lynn Gipson
F. Daryl Hayes
Tom King
John Nelson
Anthony Palumbo


(33) SILHOUETTE
Tom King, Chairman
Bill Miller, Vice Chairman
Charles R. Beers III
J. William Carter
Patricia A. Clark
Jim Kidwell


(34) SMALLBORE RIFLE
Patricia A. Clark, Chairman
Howard J. Walter, Vice Chairman
J. William Carter
David G. Coy
Todd Ellis
Edie P. Fleeman
George Harris


(35) SPORT SHOOTING
Jay Wallace, Chairman
David G. Coy, Vice Chairman
Charles L. Cotton
Susannah Kipke
Willes K. Lee
Amy Lovato


(36) WOMEN’S POLICIES
Carol Frampton, Chairman
Maria Heil, Vice Chairman
Amy Heath Lovato
Katalin Kadar Lynn
Mitzy McCorvey
Janet D. Nyce
Kathryn Hicks Porter
Brenda Potterfield
Lane Ruhland
Barbara Rumpel
Linda L. Walker
Judi White


(37) YOUTH PROGRAMS
Patricia A. Clark, Chairman
Janet D. Nyce, Vice Chairman
Todd R. Ellis
Edie P. Fleeman
Vito Germinario
Hilary Goldschlager
Amy Heath Lovato
Craig L. Swartz
Bruce Widener


(38) MEETING SITE SELECTION
Bob Barr, Chairman
William A. Bachenberg, Vice Chairman
Ronnie G. Barrett
Larry Craig
Mark Vaughan


(39) SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON SECURITY OPERATIONS
Kayne B. Robinson, Chairman
Jay Printz, Vice Chairman
Mark Vaughan
Blaine Wade


(40) SPECIAL LITIGATION COMMITTEE
Bob Barr, Chairman
Charles L. Cotton
David G. Coy

(41) SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON RELOCATION
Bob Barr, Chairman
Joel Friedman, Vice Chairman
William Bachenberg
Charles L. Cotton
David G. Coy
Tom King
Mark Vaughan


(42) EVP SEARCH COMMITTEE
Bob Barr, Chairman
David G. Coy, Vice Chairman
Carol Frampton
Curtis Jenkins
Jay Printz
Barbara Rumpel
Blaine Wade

The Special Litigation Committee’s Two-Cents

Before dawn this morning an email went out to the NRA Board of Directors from NRA President Bob Barr on behalf of the Special Litigation Committee. It dealt with the six areas that Judge Cohen delineated in his interim decision.

Before getting into what was sent out, two realities need to be mentioned. First, the only reason this was sent out to the Board is because Buz Mills and Rocky Marshall submitted a letter to Judge Cohen on Friday, August 15th, that noted the leaders of the NRA who have “not accepted responsibility” for the problems, i.e., Bob Barr, Charles Cotton, and David Coy, do not speak for the rest of the NRA and especially the remaining elected leadership. Second, these three comprise the bulk of the Special Litigation Committee. The SLC has outlived its purpose as the conflict of interest has been resolved. That is Wayne has resigned and John Frazer is no longer the General Counsel. As such, the SLC needs to be dissolved and that was actually called for by Buz and Rocky.

The email from the Special Litigation Committee is below. Beyond the fact that these guys cannot count, I would wager house money that the bulk of the document was written by someone with Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors, and not Messrs Barr, Cotton, and Coy.

—– Forwarded Message —–

From: Daniels, Stephanie <sdaniels@nrahq.org>

To: Daniels, Stephanie <sdaniels@nrahq.org>

Sent: Monday, August 19, 2024 at 04:53:05 AM EDT

Subject: Special Litigation Committee Update on NYAG Consent-Judgment Negotiations

TO:        NRA Board of Directors and Executive Council

Please see the following message from NRA President Bob Barr.

Stephanie

Stephanie Daniels

Assistant NRA Secretary

Office of the Secretary

National Rifle Association of America

Phone: 703-267-1052

Fax: 703-267-3909

E-mail: sdaniels@nrahq.org

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________- 

Fellow Board and Executive Council Members:

As you know, when New York Judge Cohen denied the NYAG’s request for a compliance monitor on July 29th, he directed the parties to confer on a consent judgment (a settlement to which the parties have reached agreement and is then adopted and ordered by the court). In his oral ruling from the bench on July 29th,  Judge Cohen requested that the parties address six areas of concern.  This has been the task on which the Special Litigation Committee (SLC) has been fully and constantly engaged, in conjunction with our outside counsel and with input from numerous NRA stakeholders, including other officers.

The SLC considers it is in the NRA’s best interest to act quickly on Judge Cohen’s recommendations, but not without essential and timely input from key NRA stakeholders regarding reforms the NRA should consider and ultimately adopt.  As noted in my most recent update last Friday, our Legal Affairs Committee convened at NRA headquarters on August 10th in a meeting open to all Board members and that included a lengthy discussion of settlement options. Our outside counsel met with the NYAG’s lawyers on August 12, 2024, to get their feedback.

These settlement discussions, and the options included therein are extremely important, and all Board members should have opportunity to provide input. Changes to the governance of the Association should be “owned ” by the entire Board. 

The SLC will submit proposed settlement documents to the NYAG this week that reflect input from the Officers, various stakeholders, and the NYAG.   However, in accord with the importance of having full NRA Board input, we will make clear to attorneys for the Attorney General that our proposals are provisional, and that each item is conditioned on sign-off from a majority of the Board. 

It therefore is our intention that at our September meeting, the Board will vote for each item in the settlement package.  In the meantime, every reform the SLC proposes (with input as noted above) will be one we believe to be (i) in line with specific guidance from the Court, and (ii) in the best interests of the NRA.

Here is a summary of what we plan to propose (in line with the court’s expressed interests) :

  1. Implement the Compliance Commitments.  Most of these measures can be ordered by the Court.  One of the Compliance Commitments, which would make the Audit Committee an elected “committee of the Board” under N-PCL 712 and 712-a, has generated controversy and will benefit from robust discussion at the Board meeting next month.  The NYAG takes the position that the Audit Committee and other key committees must be “committees of the Board.”
  1. Expand the Board Candidacy Path.  The Court suggested that the NRA “expand, for at least three years, the path to candidacy for board elections; specifically, limiting the hegemony of the Nominating Committee for enough board cycles to cover all 76 members . . .  one option would be to mandate that, for the next three elections, at least, any proposed candidate who meets certain minimum qualifications would be on the ballot, full stop, without no need to rally for hundreds or thousands of signatures.” 

Because the NRA cannot alter the petition-signature requirements without revising bold, italicized, member-adopted Bylaw provisions, the SLC will propose to the NYAG that the Nominating Committee adopt a Director Nomination Policy, resembling those in use by major public companies, that sets forth transparent, merit-based qualifications for recruiting directors (emphasis mine).  The policy will also place an emphasis on finding “new” directors, possessing baseline objective qualifications, who did not serve on the Board between 2014-2022.   The Nominating Committee will aim to place as many new, qualified directors on the ballot each year as the available ballot slots feasibly allow.

3.    Compliance Consultant.  The Court suggests “Retaining a compliance consultant for three years to work with the NRA’s in-house Compliance Officer and staff to make recommendations to the board. The consultant would be advisory only and would provide an independent perspective to the board for implementing the Court’s directives as well as best practices.” 

The SLC will propose hiring a consultant on  a reasonable, fixed retainer to serve in an advisory role as the Court suggests.

4.    Altering Committee Leadership.  The Court suggested “changing the Audit so that it would not include people . . . at the very least not as chair or co-chair, that served on the committee during the violations found in this action,” adding that “similar decisions could be made with respect to other key committees, as well.”

President Barr is scheduled to meet Monday with the Vice Presidents to confer further on committee composition.

5.    Security for Chief Compliance Officer.  The Court suggested “creating more protections for the Compliance Officer position,” noting that “one option would be to provide that the position be for a term of three years.”

Because a three-year term for the CCO would require amending our Bylaws, and because we believe a severance agreement better protects and advances the needs of the NRA, the SLC will propose a market-standard executive severance agreement to protect Chief Compliance Officer Bob Mensinger.  The NYAG has indicated agreement with this approach.

6.    Member Referendum on Reorganizing Board.  The Court suggested “a bylaw referendum for members to consider at the next annual meeting on whether to reduce the size of the board or reorganize it to create a smaller, more focused group to oversee the key operations and finances of the organization,” noting that certain other nonprofits “have a very large advisory section and then a much smaller, tighter group that focuses on the core operational and financial aspects of the company.”

In the course of eliciting feedback for settlement discussions, the SLC heard many different ideas in this vein – a Board of Ambassadors, a Select Committee on Operations Oversight, and a smaller empowered Executive Committee.  Rather than rush into a wholesale change in the size and composition of our Board, we intend to propose that NRA members be polled on a menu of options, including those that would reduce the Board of Directors and create a non-voting Board of Advisors.

At the September Board meeting, the entire Board can vote on the  proposals made by the SLC.

It is time for our Association to heal and put the hostilities launched by and surrounding the New York litigation behind us.  That means settling with the enemy outside our gates, and coming together within. 

Thank you all for your continued service and support.

NRA-SLC

Bob Barr, President and Committee Chair

Charles Cotton, Past President and Committee Member

David Coy, Committee Member

The first item deals with the Audit Committee. What needs to be explained is the difference between a “committee of the board” and a “committee of the corporation”. A committee of the board as defined by Section 712(a) of New York Not-for-Profit Law says it “shall have the power of the board” and can bind the board by its decisions with some exceptions. The other limitation upon such a committee is its charter which in this case needs to be carefully drafted. By contrast, a committee of the corporation or standing committee as defined by Section 712(e) of New York Not-for-Profit Law does not allow it to bind the Board by its decisions. In other words, they may make a recommendation to the Board and it is up to the Board to act on it.

A current example of a committee of the board is the Executive Committee. Interestingly, the law notes that members of such a committee must be “made by at least three-quarters of the directors present at the time of the vote” provided there is a quorum. I do wonder if every member of the Executive Committee received a 75% affirmative vote at the May Board meeting.

The other “number one” or the actual second item deals with the dicta from Judge Cohen regarding the path for candidacy to the Board. He wants it relaxed for at least the next three years and had suggested candidacy should be open to anyone who met the minimum qualifications for election to the Board. The SLC is balking at this proposal and blaming the bylaws as not allowing something like this. Frankly, I think this is a specious argument as I do believe Judge Cohen has the power to force the issue. Moreover, I think a strong argument can be made that the Cabal uses the bylaws when it is to their advantage and ignores them otherwise.

The suggestion from the SLC is that the Nominating Committee adopt a policy that provides for specifying a transparent, merit-based qualifications for recruiting directors. How any such qualifications are specified is the critical issue. I am reminded of what Todd Vandermyde told me once when he was negotiating with the anti-gun Democrats in Illinois. They could write the law any which way they desired but so long as he could write the definitions he would win every time. It is the same thing here. The Cabal could draft so-called merit-based qualifications that would serve to eliminate candidates they find would challenge their status quo. If I may be blunt, I don’t trust them. Yes, as I am running for the Board, I do have a vested interest, but it is open to abuse.

The third item is not a problem and it appears the committee will go along with the judge on this.

The fourth item deals with the composition of not only the Audit Committee but other important committees of the Board. Judge Cohen was specific about the Audit Committee but went on to indicate those Board members on other important committees who allowed the problems to flourish ought to be removed from them. Obviously, this means Charles Cotton, David Coy, and others including Barr. I would hope that Bill Bachenberg and Mark Vaughn are able to make Barr see the light. If they can’t, then Judge Cohen’s hand will be forced.

If the NYAG is agreeable to a strong severance agreement in place of a three-year term for the Chief Compliance Officer, then that would be workable.

Finally, on item six, I can agree with a poll of the NRA members. However, in my opinion, an “empowered Executive Committee” as the new Board of Directors should be a non-starter. The current composition of this committee is loaded with the Old Guard, the Cabal, those who are most at fault. I have long held that a reduced Board of Directors with a Board of Advisors similar to what exists at most universities is the way to go.

I look at the last paragraph of the email and just shake my head. Of course it is time to heal the wounds to the organization caused in large part by grifting executives allowed to get away with it by directors who looked the other way and ignored their fiduciary duties. Referring to the NYAG’s Office as the “enemy outside our gates” is really trite. They seemed to be the only ones actually fighting for the rank and file membership of the NRA by forcing its cleanup. Moreover, to say the Board needs to be “coming together within” ignores the fact that it would have happened if Mr. Barr had not essentially spit on the reformers by appointing all the old Cabal members to the leadership and majority membership on the major committees. He needs to look in the mirror and look at his own culpability for divisiveness between those who want needed reform and those who are resisting reform like the segregationists of the 1950s and 60s.

If what I said above is harsh, it needed to be said. If it torpedoes any chance for the Nominating Committee to put me on the ballot, so be it. I’m running for the Board by petition regardless.

Still In Denial

NRA President Bob Barr sent out an email to the Board of Directors this afternoon. It noted that the bench portion of the New York trial was coming to a close on Monday, July 29th. The gist of the email which is below is that there is no need for a special monitor, it is invasive and detrimental to the NRA, and that since 2018 the NRA has cleaned up its act. Barr went on to say he was not fully quoted with regard to recouping the $4 million plus owed to the NRA by Wayne LaPierre. In that, he may be correct.

I said in late May that Barr had the ability to regain the trust of members and to reassure the court that a special monitor was not needed through his committee appointments. I said it needed to be transparent and that Mssrs. Cotton and Coy must never be allowed to remain on the Audit and Finance Committees. I also suggested that members of the Four for Reform ought to be considered for important committee assignments.

Disappointingly, Barr all but assured that Judge Cohen will feel that he has no option but to appoint a special monitor with his committee assignments. First, not only was Charles Cotton allowed to remain as chair of the Audit Committee but was added to the Ethics Committee as the chair. Second, David Coy remains as chair of the Finance Committee. Third, the anti-reform Cabal holds all the chair and vice-chair positions on the major committees for whom appointments have been made public. Only Rocky Marshall of the Four for Reform was given a major committee assignment and “Gang of 12” reformers are in a minority on all the committees. Barr had a chance but in my opinion he blew it.

Barr and, by extension, the Board are still in denial. They can say they have made changes and point to the hiring of a Chief Compliance Officer among other things. They can say their expert witnesses all testified to improvements, to not needing a special compliance monitor, and that this is the “new” NRA. The NRA publications can write about the NRA’s “new direction” and run headlines saying “the future of the NRA is bright.”

What they fail to understand is that the rank and file members of the NRA don’t trust them. Trust, once lost, is hard to regain. Hopes were raised at the last Board meeting with the election of ostensible reformers to major positions and then the committee assignments dashed that hope. We see that the people that allowed Wayne and his pack of grifters to get away with it for years are still running things. We read that the NRA has paid at least $182 million in legal fees to Bill Brewer and his minions all the while thinking what that money could have done for the Second Amendment. We know the members voted for a Chief Compliance Officer but then hear it whispered about how he has blown off serious whistleblower complaints. And the list goes on.

I could go on but I think I’ll just post the email and let you, the reader, come to your own conclusion.

From Bob Barr as sent out by John Frazer:

Dear Board of Directors,

As you know, the NRA is nearing the end of “phase two” of the trial proceedings versus the New York Attorney General (NYAG). The bench trial began on July 15, and will conclude on Monday, July 29. As reported to the board on July 4, a focal point of the proceedings is the NYAG’s pursuit of a court-appointed monitor with sweeping powers. On behalf of the Special Litigation Committee (SLC), please note that the NYAG’s court filing, Exhibit O, reflects an invasive measure that we believe is absolutely detrimental to the Association and its mission.

Of course, it is no surprise that the NYAG, who filed suit to dissolve the NRA, is peddling its “version” of the story. However, the trial testimony has shown that, beginning in 2018, the NRA undertook to prevent any override of its financial controls. Extensive testimony has clearly established the NRA’s commitment to good governance. Importantly, there has been no evidence that the NRA is not appropriately managing its assets; and there is no ongoing or persistent violation of its internal controls – all alleged by the NYAG.

Our senior staff members, board members, and experts offered powerful testimony regarding our heightened commitment to compliance training, and the important role played by our Chief Compliance Officer and our Internal Auditor. As such, we believe there is no need for the court to impose invasive equitable relief. Doing so would have a chilling effect on our organization’s ability to fulfill its mission and cultivate grassroots support, donations, and public goodwill. For these many reasons, I am optimistic we will achieve a positive outcome for the NRA and its millions of members.

On Thursday, the court heard testimony from Daniel Kurtz, the former New York State Assistant Attorney General-in-Charge of the Charities Bureau. He testified that he sees “New York State both persecuting and prosecuting the NRA,” and noted the NYAG’s pursuit of a monitor is “crazy, unprecedented.” He added, “There’s never been a situation, to my knowledge, in which a monitor has been appointed to reform the nonprofit governance of an organization” – equating New York’s pursuit of the NRA to McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s.

In closing, know that no board officer, including myself, has ever suggested the NRA would not seek to recover any final awards owed to the NRA by individual defendants. At trial, I testified that I assumed the NRA was still finalizing its plans in this regard. My full testimony (conveniently not publicized via “X” and other social media platforms) explained this is because no final awards have yet been confirmed, and the NYAG bears the responsibility to pursue the recoveries in question. The NYAG is responsible for securing the awards because of her standing as the plaintiff in these proceedings. The NRA, of course, is committed to holding the NYAG’s feet to the fire and pursuing every dollar to which it is entitled, period. 

The bottom line is, I remain optimistic that despite attempts to distort the NRA’s commitment to good governance, the court appreciates and understands our record. The NRA and its many witnesses have presented a true picture of the Association – one that is dedicated now and in the future to achieving the best interests of our members in all we do.

Thanks,

Bob Barr, President 

NRA Hasn’t Decided Yet To Collect The Money Wayne Owes?

NRA President Bob Barr was on the stand today in the second day of the remedial phase of the New York trial. According to Erik Uebelacker of Courthouse News, Barr just said moments ago that the NRA has not yet decided if they will actually try to collect the $4.4 million the jury said Wayne owes.

What do you mean you haven’t decided to try and collect the money Wayne looted from the NRA?

WTF, Bob! That’s the members’ hard-earned dues and contributions we are talking about.

Hopes For Reform At NRA Dashed

When the NRA Board of Directors meeting ended on the Monday after the NRA Annual Meeting many, including me, had high hopes that reform was finally coming to the organization. Reformers had won two out of three of the officer positions, the EVP, and a majority on the Nominating Committee. This was on the heels of the resounding victories of the Four for Reform. Doug Hamlin, the new CEO and EVP, started making good changes and signaled a new openness.

However, as I noted at the end of May, how newly elected NRA President Bob Barr handled committee assignments would be the key to showing the court in New York just how much the NRA had changed and embraced reform. I went on to add that Charles Cotton and David Coy must not be allowed to serve on the Audit and Finance Committees respectively.

I began to be more than a little concerned when it came out that Barr had made Cotton the new chair of the Ethics Committee. That was the harbinger of more to come as it became obvious that Barr had ignored his mother’s warning about running with the “wrong crowd”.

Yesterday, Barr’s appointments to the Audit, Finance, Ethics, Bylaws and Resolutions, and Legal Affairs Committees were announced.

NRA President Bob Barr has announced some committee assignments:

Audit

Charles Cotton – Chairman
E. Wilkinson – Vice Chairman
Charles Beers
Curtis Jenkins
Rocky Marshall

Bylaws & Resolutions

Carol Frampton – Chairman
Charles Cotton – Vice Chairman
Scott Bach
Bob Barr
Larry Craig
Joel Friedman
Jim Wallace

Ethics

Charles Cotton – Chairman
Joel Friedman – Vice Chairman
Clel Baudler
Jay Printz
Barbara Rumpel
Mark Vaughan

Finance

David Coy – Chairman
Ron Schmeits – Vice Chairman
Joe Allbaugh
Bill Bachenberg
Isaac Demarest
Patricia Clark
Allan Cors
Charles Cotton
Joel Friedman
Curtis Jenkins
Carolyn Meadows
Bill Miller
Buz Mills
Amanda Suffecool
Mark Vaughan

Legal Affairs

Sandra Froman – Chairman
Scott Bach – Vice Chairman
Bob Barr
Charles Cotton
Carol Frampton
Charles Hiltunen
Curtis Jenkins
John Sigler

The first thing you will notice is that Charles Cotton is on every single one of these important committees and retains his chairmanship of the Audit Committee to go with his newly appointed chairmanship of the Ethics Committee. The next thing you notice is that David Coy has retained his chairmanship of the Finance Committee.

The only one of the Four for Reform members to be appointed to any committee was Rocky Marshall who was appointed to the Audit Committee. I find this disappointing as their election is being used by the NRA in its court filings to assert that things have changed and no special monitor was needed. While Rocky’s appointment is good and proper, why was not Jeff Knox put on Bylaws and Resolutions as he probably knows more about the Bylaws than any member of that committee. Likewise, would not it have been wise to put Judge Phil Journey, the only jurist on the Board, on the Legal Affairs Committee.

With the exception of the Finance Committee which has has four known reformers on it (out of 15 total members), the remaining committees have one and perhaps two known reformers on them. If Barr wanted to signal to the members of the NRA and to Judge Cohen that things had changed at the NRA, this certainly was not the way to do it.

While I don’t have a crystal ball on what will happen in the remedial phase of the New York trial, I think the odds are better than even that a special monitor will now be appointed to oversee the NRA’s finances. It should be noted that this monitor will have nothing to do with functions and programs of the NRA including its political functions. While this will put me at odds with some friends on the Board who are reformers, I think that the special monitor will be a requirement if the NRA is ever to crawl out of the morass it finds itself in.

UPDATE: I can fully understand the frustration that Judge Phil Journey must have felt that caused him to file a motion to intervene in the New York trial. That was on July 3rd and he obviously saw things that are now only coming to light. It has been suggested to me that the appointment of Charles Cotton to head the Ethics Committee was specifically meant to go after Judge Journey for having the temerity to break ranks.

Stephen Gutowski has more on Journey’s motion here along with the NRA’s denials.

Now On To NRA Committee Assignments

The real work of the NRA Board of Directors is done in the various committees. These committees range from the Audit, Finance, and Ethics Committee to Outreach, Federal Affairs, and Legislative Affairs. Officially, it will be new NRA President Bob Barr who selects the members for all these committees. More on that later.

There is also the Special Litigation Committee, the Nominating Committee, and the Executive Committee. This last group of committees had its members selected at the Board meeting after the Annual Meeting. The Special Litigation Committee is, by default, composed of the officers. (see correction) The Nominating Committee is a nine-member committee with reformers holding a 5-4 majority. It will now be chaired by Charlie Beers who is Chairman Pro Tem (highest vote getter).

Going back to 2019, you may remember that a number of reformist Board members were purged from their committee assignments for asking the wrong questions and given no committees upon which to serve. This was done by former NRA President Carolyn Meadows presumably with the approval of then-EVP Wayne LaPierre. Among those purged from their committee assignments were Esther Schneider, Tim Knight, Sean Maloney, Duane Liptak, and Allen West. All five ended up resigning from the Board. This retaliation against these Board members became an issue in the New York trial. The jury found that the NRA had retaliated against them in violation of New York’s whistleblower law. The video deposition of Carolyn Meadows on retaliation helped in this finding.

NRA President Bob Barr has a unique opportunity to show Judge Joel Cohen that the NRA has reformed enough that it will not need a special monitor. He can grab this opportunity if and only if he does certain things. First and foremost, he should consult with Bill Bachenberg and Mark Vaughan on the appointment of committee members and make these appointments in a balanced manner such that reformers are fairly represented. For example, I think Rocky Marshall, one of the Four for Reform, has the requisite knowledge and experience to be valued addition to the Finance Committee. Likewise, who better than a judge like Phil Journey to serve on Legal Affairs. Additionally, the appointment of the chair and vice chairs of the committees needs to be even handed.

Second, Barr needs to be transparent in his appointment of committee members. In the past, the composition of committees was rarely, if ever, disclosed. This needs to change. The members of the NRA deserve to know who is serving on each and every committee whether it is a Board member or an outside appointee.

Finally, and this is a critical point, Charles Cotton and David Coy must not be allowed to continue to serve on either the Audit or Finance Committees. Their abdication of their fiduciary duties while heading the Audit and Finance Committees was one of the reasons that the New York Attorney General’s Office was able to a) bring the lawsuit in the first place and b) successfully win their case with the jury. Allowing either of them to continue to serve on these important committees would send a sign to both Judge Cohen and the membership of the NRA that the leadership of the NRA was not serious about cleaning up the organization. Members and potential members will continue to keep their wallets closed if they remain in place. Frankly, I think the greatest service that they could do for the NRA which they profess to love would be to resign from the Board altogether.

CORRECTION: I was wrong in assuming that the Special Litigation Committee members were selected by position. That is that it was to be composed of the President, 1st VP, and 2nd VP.

According to a Board resolution in January 2021, the SLC was to be composed of Carolyn Meadows, Charles Cotton, and Willes Lee. That all three were officers was merely coincidental. After then-1st VP Willes Lee resigned from the SLC, it was later reconstituted by Board resolution to add David Coy and perhaps Bob Barr.

The key thing to remember about the Special Litigation Committee is that it only concerned matters dealing with the New York Attorney General’s case against the NRA. The rationale for even having it was that given the NRA’s then-CEO/EVP Wayne LaPierre and then-General Counsel John Frazer were named defendants in the case their participation in decision making regarding the case would be a conflict of interest.

An Interesting Day In Dallas

This is going to be short post because I’m tired. I have been watching and corresponding about the events surrounding the Board of Directors meeting all day.

First, just the bare facts. Bob Barr representing the Old Guard did win the Presidency. The vote was 37-30. Then the surprises began. Bill Bachenberg from the reform slate went head to head with Blaine Wade for 1st VP and won 36-31. Following that, reformer Mark Vaughan, president of the Oklahoma Rifle Association, beat Tom King 35-31. King really represented the Old Guard and his defeat was a sea change in attitude on the Board.

Second, and what I consider the biggest surprise, Doug Hamlin, Executive Director of Publications and the reformer’s choice for EVP, beat Ronnie Barrett for EVP/CEO. There is some talk that Hamlin is intended as an interim choice while a nationwide search is conducted.

For a bare bones, just the facts ma’am report on what has happened so far, the NRA-ILA did a decent job. Here is a link to it.

A more in-depth report is from Stephen Gutowski of The Reload which has some comments from Jeff Knox.

The last I knew was that the meeting was still continuing after coming back from a dinner break. The keys going forward will be membership on the Nominating and Executive Committee. As I noted this morning, there were no reformers nominated for the Executive Committee. That must change.

I hope to have more tomorrow.

Ronnie Barrett For EVP?

I just got a copy of the Nominating Committee report. In addition to Bob Barr for President, Tom King and Blaine Wade are nominated as 1st and 2nd VP respectively. As rumored, David Coy was sacrificed.

The big surprise is Ronnie Barrett for EVP. I am sure the argument will be that he has the requisite business experience to run a large organization such as the NRA thanks to his history as CEO of Barrett Firearms Manufacturing. Now that he has sold that company to the Australians, he is free to take on other challenges. Not being in the room, we don’t know if he is being pitched as a temporary fix for the next couple of years or not. He is 70 years old so that might be the case. My objection to Barrett would revolve around him being a “Friend of Wayne” and it gives the anti’s more ammunition to accuse the NRA of just being a tool of the firearms industry. If the NRA was going to take a former CEO of a firearms company as the EVP, I think Mike Fifer of Ruger would have been a better choice.

I would also note that not one single reformer is nominated for the Executive Committee. It the Old Guard or the Cabal in its composition. I am a bit surprised that Marion Hammer was nominated for it as she had broken with the Cabal. Also, I see Joel Friedman who couldn’t even win the 76th Director position but only made it back to the Board by the resignation of Carl Rowan, Jr. is given a seat on it.

In other nominations, both John Frazer and Sonya Rowling keep their jobs with Bill Brewer’s guy Robert Mensinger joining as the Chief Compliance Officer. Seems like a good enough pick but he is tainted by association with Bill Brewer. As to Frazer, I perceive him as a nice – but weak – guy who is in over his head. In no other non-profit or corporation would the General Counsel still have the job after a jury found him guilty of violating his fiduciary duties and submitting false filings to a governmental agency. Rowling is, like Frazer, someone who in the end who will do what they are told. Witness the cutting of a check to Brewer’s law firm this weekend even though it devastates the NRA’s finances.

Here is the full report. Make your own decisions about it. In my opinion, it is a big FU to those who want change, those who want transparency, and those who think the members actually count.

Nominating-Committee-Report

Not Willing To Be The Fall Guy For Barr

Bruce Widener, an NRA Board member, who was involved when the Bob Barr negligent discharge took place has refused to be the fall guy for him. I wrote about this negligent discharge earlier this week when discussing the two camps heading into the NRA Annual Meeting. He has since written an email about the incident and wishes it to go public.

At the time of the incident, Mr. Widener said he had removed the magazine but hadn’t checked the chamber. This made it seem like he had failed in his duty to make sure the weapon was safe and that Barr was unknowingly handling a loaded firearm. However, that was not the real story as the email that Mr. Widener has asked be made public makes clear.

After reading the email one is left wondering why Bill Brewer has such an interest in making sure that Bob Barr is the next NRA President. Is there a quid pro quo in effect saying I’ll protect you if you guarantee that I am retained as outside counsel to the NRA? Has the Cabal assured Brewer that he will be kept on and he can keep billing at his astronomic rates until such time as the NRA is out of money? I can understand Barr wanting it swept under the rug as he violated multiple rules of gun safety any which way you look at it.

Here is the email Mr. Widener sent out on it on Thursday evening. Read it in its entirety misspellings and all.

From: Bruce Widener <bruce.nra@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2024 20:25

Subject: The facts re: bob barr

The facts:

8th draft. 

Before sending this out please let me know so you have the latest version. 

This is the first time I have written a detailed report of what exactly happened in 2002 with the incident involving Congressman Bob Barr.  I’m telling this now because it has become an issue in his election effort for president of the NRA.  It all started when I became aware of the email that was sent out recently with copies of the articles about the incident. 

I saw Mr Barr in person in Atlanta and said that I had received an email that had been sent to various NRA board members which contained many of the articles about the incident. Mr Barr said that he had not  seen it and asked that I send it to him.  I then hand delivered a note to him marked ‘personal and confidential. For your eyes only’! Instead of talking to me about the note, Mr Barr must have given it to his/NRA’s attorney, Bill Brewer, who called me to talk about it.  He knew about everything in the note. After we talked by phone He called again and wanted to talk to me in Dallas.  Ashley and I then met with Mr Brewer .  Since Mr Barr on obviously doesn’t want to talk to me, he asked his attorney to talk to me about it then I feel I am free to go public and tell the whole story with all of the details to whoever wants to hear it. Here is what actually happened!!

In 2002, my wife, Ashley, and I had a fundraiser at my house for congressman Bob Barr (who was a sitting congressman and on the NRA board at the time) and was showing him my gun collection. 

I would take pistols out of my safe, remove the magazines and pull the slides back to check the chamber to make sure they were unloaded and safe. 

As I turned my back to say something to my son, Congressman Barr took a pistol out of my safe that I kept loaded in the event that it is needed and he pulled the trigger firing a bullet out a glass door which ricocheted under my wife’s new Lexus!

I actually thought he had shot me in the back! I kept feeling my back and looking for blood. When I turned to face Mr barr he said ‘Oh my’. I said ‘oh shit’! He later aid he was sorry and asked if he could pay for the damages to the door.  

The next day I asked my son if he has seen the spent shell casing? He told me the Congressman had picked it up!

This soon hit all the national news outlets!

Congressman Barr’s campaign attorney called me that day and TOLD me ‘this is what we are going to say! That

I had pulled the magazine out but had not checked the chamber to make sure the pistol was unloaded!! When we were handing the pistol ‘someone’ hit the trigger!

I was never asked what really happened and what I might want to say about it!! From this information all the articles in the various papers were written!

I refused to talk to the media !

22 yrs. ago when this happened, I was a young lobbyist and Mr Barr I was a sitting congressman.  My reputation as a gun person kkwas not nearly as important as his as a US Congressman and an NRA Board member.

I agreed to say things that we both knew were not true. 

Now my reputation and my legacy are at risk and being damaged AND it is much more important to me now as a member of the NRA board. The news articles make me look awfully bad.   I ALWAYS check the chamber and remove the magazines to make sure guns are unloaded and safe which is the key point of the articles.

They had said it was a hundred year old .38 caliber Colt. Actually it was a 1908  .380!

These are the facts which can be verified by son Dr. Douglas B. Widener and my sister and her husband, Mr and Mrs Jack Malott!