Top NRA executive resigns amid extortion allegations

A top executive at the National Rifle Association (NRA) resigned amid extortion allegations, ABC News reported Wednesday.

Chris Cox is stepping down from the position of NRA’s chief lobbyist and principal political strategist for group’s lobbying arm, Andrew Arulanandum, the NRA’s managing director for public affairs, told ABC.

The NRA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Cox’s role in the organization.

{mosads}The reported resignation comes a week after the New York Times reported that the NRA placed Cox on leave after it accused him of participating in an unsuccessful extortion scheme against chief executive Wayne LaPierre.

The NRA filed a lawsuit earlier this month against former president Oliver North, who left the organization in April after LaPierre made the accusations, which included Cox as a conspirator.

Cox told the Times that the allegations were “offensive and patently false.”

“For over 24 years I have been a loyal and effective leader in this organization. My efforts have always been focused on serving the members of the National Rifle Association,” he added.

The lawsuit follows turmoil at the highest levels of the organization. A report in the Wall Street Journal published in May detailed tens of thousands of dollars in mismanaged spending by NRA leadership.

Earlier this week, the group announced it would be cancelling production of NRA-TV.

“After careful consideration, I am announcing that starting today, we are undergoing a significant change in our communications strategy. We are no longer airing ‘live TV’ programming. Whether and when we return to ‘live’ programming is a subject of ongoing analysis,” LaPierre said in a statement posted to the NRA website.