Wayne LaPierre

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Wayne LaPierre (born November 8, 1948) is a prominent gun rights advocate and author in the United States. Since 1991, he has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Rifle Association, the largest American gun rights organization. LaPierre holds a BA in education and political science from Siena College and a master's degree in American government and politics from Boston College.

He has authored several books on weaponry topics, ranging from shooting practices to terrorism to gun safety. He also makes appearances promoting the NRA at gun shows and political events. Citing Democratic candidate John Kerry's history of authoring and supporting gun control legislation, LaPierre actively campaigned against the senator in the 2004 Presidential elections. In that campaign, the NRA supported Republican President George W. Bush after determining that he was the candidate closest to their position on gun control policies.

LaPierre also hosts Crime Strike, a syndicated weekly TV program airing across the United States that advocates gun use in self-defense and highlights situations where people have taken a stand against criminal suspects.

In 1995, former President George H. W. Bush resigned his lifelong membership in the NRA after LaPierre called federal firearms agents "jackbooted thugs."

In 2004, LaPierre debated Rebecca Peters, head of the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), at King's College London on October 12, 2004.

In October 2006, LaPierre started podcast on NRAnews.com called "What They Didn't Tell You Today." Every weekday, he gives a short broadcast about gun rights.