ZitatWASHINGTON (AP) — The National Rifle Association acted as a "foreign asset" for Russia in the run-up to the 2016 election, and NRA insiders provided access to the American political system to advance personal business interests, a Democratic senator charged Friday in a new report.
The report by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, also said NRA leaders may have violated tax laws that prohibit use of organization resources for personal benefit. The committee oversees tax laws that apply to the NRA as a non-profit organization.
"During the 2016 election, Russian nationals effectively used the promise of lucrative personal business opportunities to capture the NRA and gain access to the American political system," Wyden said in a statement. "The totality of evidence uncovered during my investigation, as well as the mounting evidence of rampant self-dealing, indicate the NRA may have violated (U.S.) tax laws."