NRA chief Wayne LaPierre warns ‘gun-hating politicians’ his group can end their political careers

‘Gun-hating politicians should never go to bed unafraid of what this association and all of our millions of members can do to their political careers’

The National Rifle Association boss Wayne LaPierre warned “gun-hating politicians” that his group could end their political careers and also blasted the media for “glorifying” mass shooters.

During NRA’s annual convention on Saturday, Mr LaPierre said that “gun-hating politicians should never go to bed unafraid of what this association and all of our millions of members can do to their political careers”.

During the event in Indianapolis, his comments received a loud cheer from the audience.

He added: “I am speechless that the American media can’t be bothered to glorify the Second Amendment, but they sure glorify mass shooters. Enough is enough.”

“I’m offended when DA’s don’t do their job, when prosecutors say dropping charges is the right thing to do, cash bail is wrong, violent felonies are to be ignored, but criminals, they’re not to be punished. They’re to be understood. Give me a break,” he stated.

“If a deranged nutcase wants to commit suicide in a blaze of demonic glory, that’s a complete media blackout. They never existed. Never say their name. Never show their face or their picture and for God’s sake, don’t publish a manifesto. Don’t give the devil himself a nanosecond of notoriety,” Mr LaPierre added.

The NRA’s annual convention started on Friday and former president Donald Trump spoke at the event too. He told NRA it “better” endorse him in the 2024 presidential race. And warned “or they’ll have some explaining to do. No, I do believe we’re in pretty good shape.”

Meanwhile, South Dakota governor and potential 2024 presidential candidate Kristi Noem told the crowd at the NRA event that her nearly two-year-old granddaughter “already” has a shotgun and a rifle.

“I want to reassure you,” she said.

Ms Noem also signed an executive order in the middle of her remarks, inviting the NRA president to join her as she barred state agencies from working with banks that “discriminate” against firearm-related businesses

The order “will protect the God-given right to keep and bear arms from being infringed upon by financial institutions,” she said.

There have been more than 155 mass shootings and more than 12,000 gun-related deaths in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive.