For the first time in the group’s history, a National Rifle Association board member is facing a recall effort — and it’s being laughed off by some of the nation’s top intelligence experts and the NRA.
The recall targets the well-known Grover Norquist, elected six times to the gun lobby’s board, with claims linking him to Islamic terrorists and constant screams by radio host Glenn Beck that Washington’s top anti-tax advocate is “a very dangerous guy.”
Norquist told Secrets that the charges are “garbage” and pushed by another well-known Washingtonian, Frank Gaffney, who has promoted the “Save the NRA” recall campaign on Twitter.
Save the #NRA – Vote “YES” by May 1 to recall Grover Norquist https://t.co/EZDcbtvkCk #gunsense #2a #2ndAmendment pic.twitter.com/3KWwInM9Q5
— Frank Gaffney (@frankgaffney) April 25, 2016
Norquist shrugged off Gaffney, the head of the Center for Security Policy, as a gadfly and “stalker” who has had a longtime feud with the head of Americans for Tax Reform, but NRA rules require the petition to be taken seriously.
As a result, the NRA held an internal hearing and published its findings in its top publication, “The American Rifleman.”
The recall petitioner, Stu Weber, said his charges against Norquist, based on old allegations by Gaffney’s group, are disruptive to the NRA’s mission and make Norquist a liability.
But the NRA hearing judges shot holes through the charges that Norquist is a friend of the Muslim Brotherhood. Board member and former NRA President David Keene mocked the charges as part of a wild-eyed conspiracy. Other board members say they are confused by the fight and want it to go away.
The NRA hearing judges concurred. “We disagree with the petitioner in this case and recommend a ‘no’ vote,” the judges said, and set a May 1 voting deadline.
A Gaffney associate and ally of Weber said the anti-Grover team “was disappointed” with the NRA finding.
A parade of supporters backed Norquist, including former Attorney General Ed Meese, former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Vincent Cannistraro, former CIA director of intelligence operations and even former Republican presidential candidate Jim Gilmore.
“As a national board member of the NRA, I know Grover Norquist, and have always seen his participation on the board as constructive, and loyal to the Second Amendment rights of all Americans, ” Gilmore, president of the Free Congress Foundation, told Secrets.
“I have seen nothing to substantiate any allegations of impropriety in Grover’s conduct. On the effort to recall Grover from NRA board membership, I have already voted ‘no,’ and I urge other members of the NRA to cast their ballot against the removal of Grover from the board,” the former Virginia governor added.
While others might have ignored the attacks and recall petition, Norquist has pushed back forcefully, and friends have created their own campaign, “Vote No on the NRA Recall.”
When asked if the board seat was worth the hassle, Norquist was blunt. “This is about a defense of the NRA” against frivolous petitions, he said, confident that it will be rebuffed.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
