Wayne LaPierre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wayne LaPierre
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LaPierre in 2017
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Wayne Robert LaPierre Jr.
November 8, 1949 Schenectady, New York, U.S.
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| Education | Siena College (BA) Boston College (MA) |
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Susan Znidorka
(m. 1998) |
Wayne Robert LaPierre Jr. (born November 8, 1949) is an American gun rights lobbyist. A lobbyist is someone who tries to influence government decisions. He was the main leader of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) from 1991 to 2024. The NRA is a large group that supports gun rights and teaches gun safety in the United States.
In January 2024, it was announced that LaPierre would leave his role at the NRA.
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About Wayne LaPierre
Wayne Robert LaPierre Jr. was born on November 8, 1949, in Schenectady, New York. He was the oldest child of Hazel and Wayne Robert LaPierre Sr. His father worked as an accountant. When Wayne was five years old, his family moved to Roanoke, Virginia.
LaPierre went to Siena College and earned a bachelor's degree. He then studied at Boston College, where he received a master's degree in government and politics. In 1998, he married Susan Znidorka.
His Work and the NRA
Wayne LaPierre has worked as a government activist and lobbyist for many years. He has been part of the leadership for several groups, including the American Conservative Union.
Leading the National Rifle Association
LaPierre joined the NRA in 1977. Before that, he worked for a politician in Virginia who supported gun rights. Since 1991, he has been the chief executive of the NRA. This organization is the biggest group in the U.S. that supports gun rights and teaches about firearms safety.
In January 2024, LaPierre announced he would be stepping down from his position at the NRA.
Legal Challenges and Findings
In 2020, the New York Attorney General filed a lawsuit against the NRA and some of its leaders, including LaPierre. The lawsuit claimed there were issues with how money was managed.
After a trial in 2024, a jury decided that LaPierre had misspent some money belonging to the NRA. The jury ordered him to pay back a certain amount to the organization.
Views on Gun Rights
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Wayne LaPierre believes that schools should have "armed, trained, qualified school security personnel." After a sad event at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, he said that having a "good guy with a gun" is the way to stop a "bad guy with a gun."
He has also said that mental health issues and violent video games or movies contribute to such events.
LaPierre supports several ideas related to gun rights:
- He wants more money for a better mental health system. He also supports changing laws to help people with mental health needs get the care they require.
- He thinks there should be a computer system to help limit gun sales to people who are legally unable to own them due to mental health reasons.
- He believes in stronger enforcement of federal laws against violent gang members or criminals who have guns.
- He supports programs that give strict sentences for gun crimes, especially for having guns illegally.
- After an event in Las Vegas in 2017, he supported rules for "bump-fire" rifle stocks.
- He also supports bans on fully automatic firearms.
See also
In Spanish: Wayne LaPierre para niños
