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1/ In 2013, NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre and his wife Susan travelled to Botswana to hunt elephants. The trip was filmed by a crew from an NRA-sponsored television series — but never aired.
Those involved worried it could become a PR fiasco. http://thetr.ac/QOsTZ
Those involved worried it could become a PR fiasco. http://thetr.ac/QOsTZ
2/ The Trace’s @mikespiesnyc obtained a copy of the video, which shows LaPierre struggling to kill the elephant, shooting it several times in the wrong place before another person delivers the fatal shot.
Video embedded here (contains graphic content): https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-secret-footage-of-nra-chief-wayne-lapierres-botched-elephant-hunt
Video embedded here (contains graphic content): https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-secret-footage-of-nra-chief-wayne-lapierres-botched-elephant-hunt
3/ Later that day, Susan proves to be a better shot, felling an older bull elephant in one pull of the trigger.
“That was amazing. I feel great,” she says, just before cutting off the animal’s tail and showing it off to the camera.
“That was amazing. I feel great,” she says, just before cutting off the animal’s tail and showing it off to the camera.
4/ To avoid bad publicity — and at Susan LaPierre’s written request — body parts from both elephants were quietly shipped to the U.S. under someone else’s name.
The animals’ front feet were turned into stools for Wayne and Susan’s home.
The animals’ front feet were turned into stools for Wayne and Susan’s home.
5/ Published in partnership with @NewYorker, the video, paired with new revelations on LaPierre’s extravagant spending, offers a glimpse of the stage-managed, insular, and privileged life of the NRA’s top official.
More from @mikespiesnyc: https://thetr.ac/QOsTZ
More from @mikespiesnyc: https://thetr.ac/QOsTZ
6/ The NRA is weathering an existential crisis of its own making, which began with revelations of rampant self-dealing first reported in 2019 by @mikespiesnyc, also in partnership with @NewYorker. https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/secrecy-self-dealing-and-greed-at-the-nra
7/ The Trace’s @w_vansant has been following the group’s ensuing legal fight with the New York attorney general and a humiliating bankruptcy trial.
Read his reporting: https://thetr.ac/Bjamp
Read his reporting: https://thetr.ac/Bjamp
8/ We’ll continue to follow the story.
Have information about the NRA you think our reporters should know? Tip @mikespiesnyc or @w_vansant.
Want to support our work? Become a member: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=thetrace
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Have information about the NRA you think our reporters should know? Tip @mikespiesnyc or @w_vansant.
Want to support our work? Become a member: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=thetrace
Or sign up for one of our newsletters: https://thetr.ac/E2dsj
