Julie Golob became the fourth member of the National Rifle Association’s board of directors to resign in the past two weeks as controversy continues to roil the group’s leadership.
The NRA’s second-in-command Chris Cox resigned in June after a lawsuit alleged he was part of former NRA President Oliver North’s effort to oust chief executive Wayne LaPierre.
LaPierre, who has served as CEO since 1991, accused North of threatening to blackmail him in April. LaPierre claimed that North threatened to release damning information about LaPierre unless he stepped aside. North soon departed his role as president of the organization after the attempted coup was revealed.
Golob, who is a professional sport shooter and gun rights advocate, announced her resignation Monday. She didn’t state a specific reason for her resignation, but posted a statement about her departure on her website.
“I am proud to have had the opportunity to represent the members of the NRA but I can no longer commit to fulfilling the duties of a director,” she wrote. “This was not a decision I made lightly.”
“I will absolutely continue to support the NRA’s programs and sports as a proud benefactor member and active participant in the preservation of freedom,” she added.
Earlier this month three other board members claimed that they were stripped of their committee assignments after they began asking questions about financial information and spending by LaPierre.
“While our belief in the NRA’s mission remains as strong today as ever, our confidence in the NRA’s leadership has been shattered,” they wrote in a letter to NRA officials.
Last week, the Washington Post reported that LaPierre looked to have the NRA buy him a mansion in Dallas in the wake of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. LaPierre reportedly worried that he would be targeted in the aftermath of the shooting and needed a more secure place to live.
