A former lobbyist with a taste for fine Italian suits, Wayne LaPierre joined the NRA in 1978 and took over as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive in 1991. He has been criticized for knowing his way around Capitol Hill better than he knows his way around a gun. A staunch hard-liner, he is credited with revitalizing the NRA and shaping it into the formidable powerhouse that it is today. Last April, he was unanimously re-elected as the group’s CEO.

An audacious Dallas lawyer, William Brewer III represents the NRA as outside counsel. He is a close ally of Wayne LaPierre. Brewer had no prior experience in Second Amendment litigation prior to being hired by the NRA. Leaked documents show that over a thirteen month period, between 2018 and 2019, Brewer’s firm billed the NRA $24 million in fees. That is, $97,000 a day, seven days a week. He has been sanctioned for ethics violations in Texas.

Once a close friend of Wayne LaPierre, Makris serves as the president of the Mercury group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ackerman McQueen, the NRA’s longtime PR and advertising firm, as well as president of a corporate entity called Under Wild Skies, which received more than $18 million from the NRA over a period beginning in 2010. The two are currently embroiled in a legal battle over unpaid fees, with Under Wild Skies alleging the nonprofit owes them millions. Makris hosts a show called Under Wild Skies on the Outdoor Channel. It previously aired on NBC Sports, but was pulled by the network after Makris likened his detractors to Hitler.

A powerful Oklahoma ad executive, Angus McQueen is credited with shaping all aspects of the NRA’s image. His firm, Ackerman McQueen, worked closely with the NRA for close to 40 years until their unceremonious separation in 2019, with both parties filing suit against the other. Amid the legal battle, McQueen passed away after a fight with lung cancer.

New York's first African-American attorney general, Letitia James is leading an investigation into financial misconduct within the NRA's ranks and the organization's tax-exempt status.

"A lifelong gun enthusiast, Aaron Davis spent ten years fundraising for the NRA, courting high value donors. He saw first-hand where funds were being allocated and became disillusioned with the organization he once revered. Hailed as a whistleblower by some, Davis has accused the NRA's executives of enriching themselves at the expense of their members.