we know him starting the nra household names. the face of the nra. years, has he really been running the organization, pulling the strings, now that he is gone, what does the nra look like? who runs the joint? for those who are gun violence act -- you know, who are focused on preventing gun violence, what does it mean to not have wayne there? >> i think you're talking about a guy who is synonymous with the issue. >> his name. but i mean his work. >> you know, he is not there because of his master in management skills. he's there because he has been the puppet master, pulling the strings. apparently, to his great financial benefit for a very long time. i think the real issue is, the real thing they lose is their biggest, best fund-raiser ever. that matters. that matters going into 2024, into an election year. i'll tell you what the nra is not going to put up 2016 numbers for donald trump, or even 2020 numbers, which were half of 2016. the fact of matters, his name on the bottom of that letter, high note meeting, that mattered. it is not wayne's world

we know him starting the nra household names. the face of the nra.ng the strings, now that he is gone, what does the nra look like? who runs the joint? for those who are gun violence act -- you know, who are focused on preventing gun violence, what does it mean to not have wayne there? >> i think you're talking about a guy who is synonymous with the issue. >> his name. but i mean his work. >> you know, he is not there because of his master in management skills. he's there because he has been the puppet master, pulling the strings. apparently, to his great financial benefit for a very long time. i think the real issue is, the real thing they lose is their biggest, best fund-raiser ever. that matters. that matters going into 2024, into an election year. i'll tell you what the nra is not going to put up 2016 numbers for donald trump, or even 2020 numbers, which were half of 2016. the fact of matters, his name on the bottom of that letter, high note meeting, that mattered. it is not wayne's world anymore. >> if he's found guilty, all of these big donors,

how this trial could impact the future of the nra, that's ahead. >>> long-time nra leader wayne lapierre is set to appear in a new york courtroom tomorrow to face allegations of corruption. this is happening after he just announced his resignation from the organization days before the start of the civil trial citing health reasons. now, new york's attorney general filed a lawsuit against lapierre and four other nra execs and just announce add settlement with one of them yesterday. after filing the lawsuit she accused them of using the organization as their, quote, personal piggy bank. >> they used millions upon millions of dollars from the nra for personal use, including for lavish trips for themselves and their families, private jets, expensive meals. >> now, the nra is calling the suit, quote, a baseless attack on the organization and its fight to defend the second amendment. joining us now is cnn guns in america contributor and firearms reporter for the reload.com steven gatowski. good to see you this morning. let's start off with what the ag letitia james has said that she wants the

nra-ism is with us. there's a political party in america that's absorbed the nra plank. the nra for them, this is mission accomplished. this has been 50 years and 30 with wayne lapierre at the helm. >> the presidential influence. >> they set up shop. george w. bush's white house before president trump. it has been absorbed by the republican parties, so they are not necessary anymore. they've done their job. >> jennifer, it's quite a moment to see this happen today. thank you for your expertise in watching this so closely. >> it's good to be here. >> thank you. >>> i want to thank all of you for joining us tonight and every night this week. i hope you have a great weekend. we'll see you back monday. abby phillip starts right now. >> if democracy is on the ballot, it could also be on the docket tonight on news night. >>> good evening, i'm abby phillip from new york. an unprecedented decision for an unprecedented time in america. can a state kick donald trump off the ballot over the 14th amendment, which bars insurrectionists from holding office. now the nation's highest co

the nra, is stepping. again for being with us. >> thank. you >>> turning now to the middle east, we are learning new details about one of secretary of state antony blinken's key objectives during his weeklong diplomatic push. a senior state department official tells us a major focus of this trip is going to be this indirect back channel to iran to try to deter a wider conflict in the region. >> notably it comes as israel's defense minister unveiled plans for the next phase of the war in gaza. once hamas, if it is, destroyed, is out of that enclave. those proposals have caused an international rift inside the israeli cabinet. we have nick robertson joining us now from tel aviv. nick, israel's defense minister laying out his vision for gaza. it doesn't exactly lineup with the u.s. version of what they want, their goals, for a post hamas gaza. >> reporter: it doesn't. when secretary blinken left, he left with the understanding that israel was going to work towards a objectives and really frame our, and game o

the nra didn't begin as a lobbying arm for gun ownership.veterans after the civil war. but in the century that followed, it transformed into a concerted and well funded effort to recast had the second amendment was understood. just take a listen to a republican, nominated chief justice of the supreme court, talk about the second amendment back in 1991. >> this is -- one of the greatest pieces of thought fraud, i repeat the word fraud, on the american public. my special in trist greets, that i've seen in my lifetime. -- if the militia, which was going to be the state army, was going to be well regulated, why shouldn't 16 and 17 and 18 or any other age persons be regulated and the use of arms? the way in automobile is regulated. >> to use justice warren burger's language, the nra, -- eight years later in the direct aftermath of what it the time was the worst school shooting in american history. columbine. following that horrific shooting with two students shot and killed 13 of their classmates and injured 20 other people, wayne lapierre and ot

the nra has seen power decline in recent years. $213 million in 2023, half the 2016 total and lost over a million members since corruption allegations were leveled against lapierre and others in 2019. that was first reported by our next guest who has been extensive reporting inside the nra and intraorganization wars taking mace over the course of the last several years. he is firearms reporter from the reload.com. i am a regular reader. i wanted to talk to you about this because i remember following you on twitter going to conventions back in 2019 and seeing just how much the organization had changed and also how wayne lapierre always survived despite the push back inside the organization. is that survivability about to come to an end? >> yeah, it very well may because these allegations in the new york trial are significant and the nra has mostly sidestepped the efforts to reform the organization. i mean, they have made some changes, but lapierre is at the center of most of the corruption allegations and he is still effectively in

the nra didn't begin as the lobbying arm for gun ownership. club found by union veterans after the civil war. but in the century that followed, it transformed into a concerted and well funded effort to recast how the second amendment was understood. just take a listen to a republican nominated chief justice of the supreme court talk about the second amendment back in 1991. >> this has been one of the greatest pieces of fraud, i repeat the word fraud, on the american public. by special interest groups that i've ever seen in my lifetime. a well regulated militia. if the militia which was going to be the state army was going to be well regulated, why shouldn't 16, 17, 18, or any age persons be regulated in the use of arms the way an automobile is regulated? >> to use just as warren burger's language, the nra with the help of wayne lapierre solidified that fraud eight years later in the direct aftermath of one of the time was the worst school shooting in american history, columbine. following that history -- were two students shot and killed 13 of

the head of the nra. the question is does it change the course of the gun rights movements in america that he had such a role in shaping? >>> the man who spent more than a quarter century transforming gun culture in politics is now preparing tonight to step aside. wayne lapierre says he's resigning as the head of the national rifle association, a move i should note comes on the eve of a corruption trial here in manhattan that threatens the future of the powerful lobbying group. but no matter how that case plays out that starts on monday, lapierre's legacy stands as a bull work virtually any gun legislation. wave after wave after wave of demands for more restrictions. whether it was amid the surge of gun violence on american streets in the 1990s or a generation growing up amid mass shooting after mass shooting. as the scenes of children running with their hands up from their classrooms is now grimly becoming all too normal. lapierre's power and influence in washington grew to heights that very few others h

the nra for them, this is mission accomplished. this has been 50 years and 30 with wayne lapierre at the helm. >> and presidential influence. >> they set up shop in george w. bush's white house before president trump. nra-ism has been absorbed by the republican party. they're not necessary anymore. they've done their job. >> jennifer massia, it's quite a moment to see this happen. thank you for your expertise and watching this so closely. >> good to be here. >> thank you for joining us tonight and every night. i hope you have a great weekend. see you back on monday. "cnn newsnight" with abby phillip" starts right now. >>> if democracy is on the ballot, it would also be on the docket. that's tonight on "newsnight." an unprecedented decision for an unprecedented time in america. can a state kick donald trump off the ballot over the 14th amendment, which bars insurrectionists from holding office in the nation's highest court will soon decide. the supreme court tonight announced that it will take up colorado's case, which means the nin

the nra for them, this is mission accomplished. this has been 50 years and 30 with wayne lapierre at the helm. >> and presidential influence. >> they set up shop in george w. bush's white house before president trump. nra-ism has been absorbed by the republican party. they're not necessary anymore. they've done their job. >> jennifer massia, it's quite a moment to see this happen. thank you for your expertise and watching this so closely. >> good to be here. >> thank you for joining us tonight and every night. i hope you have a great weekend. see you back on monday. "cnn newsnight" with abby phillip" starts right now. >>> if democracy is on the ballot, it would also be on the docket. that's tonight on "newsnight."

in a written statement, he says, i will never stop supporting the nra.nd its fight to defend second amendment freedom. meanwhile, that civil trial is still scheduled to start in new york city on monday. lapierre is expected to testify. lester. >> gabe, thank you. >>> in 60 seconds, why the hostilities in the middle east could drive up the prices of so many things we buy what you need to know right after this >>> we're back now with the rising tensions in the red sea after repeated attacks by houthi rebels on cargo ships. today's shipping giant maersk said it will halt all shipments through the red sea indefinitely christine romans is here what kind of ripple effect can we see here in the u.s.? >> it's two weeks, sometimes longer to route the massive cargo ships away from the threat it's already driving up shipping costs. the suez canal connects the red sea with the mediterranean, the shipping super highway, the fastest way to connect asia and the middle east to europe. about a third of all global container passes right through here from tennis shoes, fur

in a written statement, he says i will never stop supporting the nra.ht to defend second amendment freedom. meanwhile, that civil trial is still scheduled to start in new york city on monday. lapierre is expected to testify. lester. >> gabe, thank you. >>> in 60 seconds, why the hostilities in the middle east could drive up the prices of so many things we buy. what you need to know right after this. ople, and more vets are deciding it's time for a fresh approach to pet food. they're quitting the kibble. and kicking the cans. and feeding their dogs dog food that's actually well, food. developed with vets. made from real meat and veggies. portioned for your dog. and delivered right to your door. it's smarter, healthier pet food. get 50% off your first box at thefarmersdog.com/realfood (♪♪) honey... honey... dayquil severe honey. powerful cold and flu symptom relief with a honey-licious taste. because life doesn't stop for a cold. dayquil honey, the daytime, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, honey-licious, power through your day, medicine. to give your

this isn't about what the mission of the nra's.nst any charity that was suffering the same abuses, and indeed, in the past, attorney general james hats with respect, for example, to a trump charity. this is part and parcel of that same sort of action. >> shannon, lisa makes a really interesting point. the nra had, for years, tried to upson itself as a mom and pop, as a membership. it's a membership, dues paying organization. largest membership organization in america, whatever they used to call themselves. but it is also the lobby for the gun industry. and that's part of this whole thing. groups like yours are really individuals. people, moms, who say that -- industrial lobby. >> yeah. i mean, it was always david versus goliath. and it was ultimately david that one. i can remember seeing wayne lapierre hold this press conference just two weeks after the sandy hook school shooting to remind everyone 20 children and six educators were slaughtered inside the sanctity of an american elementary school. and what wayne lapierre said at th

>> james actually tried to get the nra to solve this part of the case.unning over the segment of the trial rejected that. this is not going to be like a corporate death penalty for the nra, but it could be the end of weigh-in lock here, as we know. for most americans, he is the only voice and face of the nra that we see. he is the originator with the good guy with a gun line. this could be the end of the nra as we know it, but an-ism has a basically been absorbed by the republican party. the republican party estimate all of the nra acts as part of their platform. in a way, the nra, over the decades, has been super successful, and if they change, streamline herenda tomorrow, it's basically done it's a job. >> as you said, it's been assimilated, certainly, into the messaging and the culture. jennifer massiah, thank you so much for being with us. and thank you for joining us. >>> hello an

lapierre's resignation, that further cements the fact that the nra is in decline.anged the politics of gun control in the united states. the second amendment activists and their republican allies in congress still have made it impossible to pass meaningful gun control changes, and that hasn't changed despite the decline of the nra. >> and despite the increase in shootings that we are covering constantly here. ken dilanian, thank you so much for that. >>> up next on "ana cabrera reports," awards season is officially here. did your favorite movie or actor take home a golden globe? have you ever wondered what an icon,... ...a legend,... ...a legacy,... ...a pop star,... ...and a tight end all have in common? they all got this season's updated covid-19 shot to help better protect them against recent variants. got it? ( ♪♪ ) got yours? hi, my name is damion clark. if you have both medicare and medicaid, i have some really encouraging news that you'll definitely want to hear. depending on the plans available in your area, you may be eligible to get extra benefits with a

this could end the nra as we know it. n nra-ism has been b absorbed by the republican party. it's made all of the nra's asks part of their platform. so, in a way, the nra over the decades has been mostly successful, and if it changed, streamlined, or even ended tomorrow, you know, it's basically done its job. >> yeah, as you said, it's been assimilated, certainly, into the messaging, and into the culture, jennifer, thank you so much for being with us. >> thank you. >>> and thank you for joining us, cnn news night with abby phillip starts now. ♪ >>> in the course of history some years are destined to shape the decades that follow, and 2024

lapierre and the nra had denied the allegations.d in his fierce support for the right to bear arms. even as the number of mass shootings rose across the country. >> his legacy will be one of corruption, one of self-dealing, one of mismanagement, but the real legacy, in the end, will be that the nra opposed all gun safety laws at every turn. >> reporter: late today, new york attorney general letitia james called lapierre's resignation a victory, but norah, she also pledged to hold him accountable in a court of law. >> norah: jeff pegues, thank you. and it's more breaking news, at least one person is dead tonight following a crash involving a tour bus in upstate new york. the bus rolled on its side on a highway near the town of lake george. nearly a dozen people were injured. the cause of the crash now under investigation. classes were canceled and grief counselors brought in today in perry, iowa, the day after a sixth grader killed and seven other people were injured in a school shooting. the 11-year-old who was killed was identified

lapierre and the nra have denied the allegations.is fierce support for the right to bear arms. even as the number of mass shootings rose across the country. >> his legacy will be one of corruption, one of self-dealing, one of mismanagement, but the real legacy, in the end, will be that the nra opposed all gun safety laws at every turn. >> reporter: late today, new york attorney general letitia james called lapierre's resignation a victory, but norah, she also pledged to hold him accountable in a court of law. >> norah: jeff pegues, thank you. and in some more breaking news, at least one person is dead tonight following a crash involving a tour bus in upstate new york. the bus rolled on its side on a highway near the town of lake george. nearly a dozen people were injured. the cause of the crash now under investigation. classes were canceled and grief counselors brought in today in perry, iowa, the day after a sixth grader was killed and seven other people were injured in a school shooting. the 11-year-old who was killed was identifie

what about the private yachts that were paid for by nra vendors? most of his answers were boiled down to yes or no, until it was put on the hot seat about why he declared bankruptcy from the nra. i got into a testy exchange between, heat the prosecutor, and the judge who overruled some of the testimony. where he said this was all for political purposes of the new york state attorney general considers the nra a terrorist organization. but boris, this is an existential trial for the nra, not just wayne lapierre, who is already resigned from his position that he's held since 1991. this is about how the organization will come out on the other side and if it will still exist in its current form. >> john miller, appreciate the update, thanks a bunch. breonna? >> officials in alabama are defending their decision to execute a death row inmate with nitrogen gas. they say it won't be the last time. thursday marked the first time the method was used in the u.s.. now, at some of the witnesses who watched, kenneth smith diet, they say he appeared to be consciou

, effective january 31, a civil trial involving him and the nra is scheduled monday. the founder of the reload, contributing to cnn, stephen, how big a deal is the resignation and how big of a surprise? >> the word you used is correct, shocking, this is the face of the national gun rights movement for the last several decades, the driving force behind how policy has unfolded is now not going to be the head of the nra anymore, that's pretty remarkable. >> why do you think he is resigning?>> the timing says a lot, with the corruption allegations. >> people who don't know about this, the new york attorney general letitia james filed a petition to dissolve them, saying they violated laws, millions for personal use and committed tax fraud. >> that is the essential core of the complaint against the nra and really against the leadership, when lapeer, disillusion was taken off the chair by the judge, the ones that they were looking for but the punishments against leadership like removal and the findings the organization very much on the table, when lapeer is at the center of

lapierre had to apologize to the nra.h after the 1995 oklahoma city bombing, a domestic terror attack on a federal government building. he has led the organization since 191. so what more to talk about the reasons for his resignation? >> the timing is quite interesting but the board of directors was meeting in the dallas area. according to a statement released by the nra, that is where wayne lapierre notified the board he was resigning. the statement says he cited health concerns as the reason for his resignation and they went onto say the resignation will take effect at the end of this month. january 31st. >> so, lapierre and some of the other top executives go on trial in a civil case monday over allegations of fraud. what are the details on that? >> that's why the timing of this is so interesting. this is days before the nra and other executives with the organization are set to go on trial. theessentially they accused the organization and these mean of violating laws governing non- profit organization. mismanagement an

does him stepping down change the nra political influence? >> yes.s the last symbol the carried any meaning for americans. the rest of the organization that people interfaced with over the last bunch of years is all gone. it's messaging infrastructure is dead, its ability to spend money on political elections went bye-bye once the lawsuits started. so the last recognizable face was his, and he's gone now. so it's ability to affect change in the moment i think is more or less nonexistent. but its presence is still felt every day because the machine that it created over decades and its success of re-socializing a portion of america and the republican party is not going anywhere. effectively we have a split, either you are an absolutist, in which case you are in the nra's camp and you are a member of the republican party, or you are in favor of regulation, in which case you identify with democrats. a group like the nra doesn't really need to cast that kind of influence anymore because the machine is already working on autopilot. amna:. civil corruption

lapierre has led the nra now, he's accused of using millions of nra dollars for personal trips and privatenes, which he denies. the new york state civil trial that also names the nra and other executives begins next week. >>> a case that made national headlines, a daughter abused by her mother, put on a feeding tube and in a wheelchair she didn't need, then she was convicted in her mother's murder. tonight here, gypsy rose blanchard is out of prison and sitting down with deborah roberts. >> reporter: tonight after serving nearly nine years behind bars for plotting the murder of her own mother, gypsy rose blanchard is speaking out. >> i didn't want her dead and just wanted out of my situation, i thought it was the only way out. >> reporter: to the world, she was a seriously ill girl cared for by loving mother, dee dee. but inside the walls of the little pink house, a dark secret. gypsy was not the frail, disabled child dee dee claimed, suffering from leukemia and muscular dystrophy. when you look at pictures of gypsy rose, what do you think? >> i don't associate with that little girl anymor

the nra has generally fought all of them. signed a gun safety bill that had 15 republicans voting for it. the opening arguments in the nra trial are set to begin this next week and we'll be watching. >>> i mentioned a very interesting question of what steve jobs and serena have in common? that's after the break. common that's after the break shingles strikes as a painful, blistering rash that can last for weeks. and it could wake at any time. think you're not at risk for shingles? it's time to wake up. because shingles could wake up in you. if you're over 50, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about shingles prevention. a force to be reckon with. no, not you saquon. hm? you! your business bank account with quickbooks money, now earns 5% apy. 5% apy? that's new! yup, that's how you business differently. children are the greatest joy and our best hope for a better future. friends, they are the future. but did you know that millions of kids right here in our own backyard are facing hunger every day without healthy food? it's hard

does him stepping down change the influence the nra has had politically? it does change the influence it has had politically. wayne was the last symbol that carried any meaning. the rest of the organization that people interfaced with over the last bunch of years is all gone. it's messaging infrastructure is dead. its ability to spend money on political elections went bye-bye once the lawsuits started. the last recognizable face was his and he is gone now. and so its ability to affect change in the moment is more or less nonexistent. but its presence is still felt every day because the machine that it created over a period of decades and its success every socializing a portion of america and the republicans of america is not going anywhere. you are either an absolutist in which you are in the nra's camp and you are a member of the republican party or you are in favor of regulation, in which case you identify with democrats. a group like the nra doesn't really need to cast that kind of influence anymore because the machine is already working on autopilot if

and accusing them of losing more than $63 million for the nra. the attorney general there in new york said that lapierre's resignation today validates their lawsuit and that the trial will go on as scheduled starting on monday. >> talk a little bit about the power he has had -- i mean, he's been the face of the gun rights movement in america. put this in context for us. >> reporter: well, this is massive, as yo wayne lapierre has been synonymous with the national rifle association for decades. he has been the face of this organization's push for gun rights across the country. they have touted for years their ability to elect politicians that see the gun rights issues the way they do, also trying to strike fear in those politicians that would vote against any kind of gun rights issue and against the organization. he's also had just a long history of very controversial remarks. after the sandy hook elementary school shooting, he talked about how the only way to stop school shootings is to get more guns on the streets and into people's hands. these

to get to the yacht, he was taking a private plane paid for by the nra.ed about the extensive lavish trips the nra funded to ferry lapierre's family around, and what attorney general alleges here is that was improper. lapierre acknowledged he a fiduciary responsibility to spend the organization's widely. he disclaimed knowledge of the details of the contracts. he appears to be suggesting, this wasn't up to me. other people were involved. earlier in the trial, oliver north who was once the president of the nra testified that he was ousted after he tried to raise questions about the spending. they're trying to get a monetary verdict againsts nra to penalize it for the behavior. the money will go back to the nra, which is a shell of its former self. >> ken dilanian, thank you very much. >>> and new comments from one of trump's most aggressive republican critics, liz cheney is now sort of backing his only primary opponent. we're going to explain the sort of there. >>> a bitter battle for control of the party could become a bruising run for the nomination. tha

but we would not know that if the nra had continued to get its way because the nra helped block any government funded research on gun depths for decades along with efforts to ensure there are more guns than people in the united states. mike, what stood out from lapierre's testimony today? >> what stood out was he's in some respects falling on the sword, there's no question anymore about whether or not he had done the wrong thing. he's basically openly saying that the arrangements that he entered into prior to 2018 specifically, hiding payments through the nra's longtime pr firm are going on these fancy vacations to his vendors yacht or the taj mahal, and those kinds of places, that was clearly the wrong thing to do and he should have been disclosing it to the board all along but also, at the same time, it wasn't done in bad faith, he just sort of made a mistake and didn't know better and embarked on a course correction as they kept referring to it in 2018 and now, according to him, the slate has more or less been wiped clean and they are on solid footing. >> remind us what is at stake in this

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nra, but it could be the end of weigh-in lock here, as we know. for most americans, he is the only voice and face of the nra that we see. he is the originator with the good guy with a gun line. this could be the end of the nra as we know it, but an-ism has a basically been absorbed by the republican party. the republican party estimate all of the nra acts as part of their platform. in a way, the nra, over the decades, has been super successful, and if they change, streamline herenda tomorrow, it's basically done it's a job. >> as you said, it's been assimilated, certainly, into the messaging and the culture. jennifer massiah, thank you so much for being with us. and thank you for joining us. >>> hello and welcome to our viewers joining us in the united states and around the world, i am rosemary church. ahead, donald trump appeals the decision to remove him from maine's presidential primary ballot, accusing the states top election official of bias. a u.s. official says israel was responsible for the strikes on lebanon that killed a senior hamas lea

and also, tonight the man who let the nra four years into the ground is out. thanks in part to the legal process of new york's attorney general. i am paola ramos, in for a minute look at dean, let's do this. ♪ ♪ ♪ today, january 6th, marks three years since rioters violently stormed the halls of our nation's capital. three years since supporters of donald trump attempted to overturn the will of the, people and three years since americas nearly 250-year-long democratic experiment almost made its end. yesterday, president joe biden kicked off the 2024 election year by marking this anniversary with a grim warning, the threat to our democracy is still ongoing. >>> trump is trying to steal history. the same way he try to steal the election. we all know who donald trump is, the question we have to answer is, who are we? that's what's at stake. who are we? >> reporter: who are we? biden is hardly alone in his fears. a new piece for the bulwark, bill kristol and jeffrey shoeless issued a warning of their own, quote, the fact is that the united states is closer to day

this could end the nra as we know it. n nra-ism has been b absorbed by the republican party. it's made all of the nra's asks part of their platform. so, in a way, the nra over the decades has been mostly successful, and if it changed, streamlined, or even ended tomorrow, you know, it's basically done its job. >> yeah, as you said, it's been assimilated, certainly, into the messaging, and into the culture, jennifer, thank you so much for being with us. >> thank you. >>> and thank you for joining us, cnn news night with abby phillip starts now. ♪ >>> in the course of history some years are destined to shape the decades that follow, and 2024 will undoubtedly be one of them. that's tonight on "news night". >>> good evening, i'm abby phillip in new york. for the u.s. and for the world, here are the eight biggest questions for the fate of this consequential year. one, quite simply, who will be the next president of the united states? in a potential rematch of joe biden and donald trump, one would be 81, if reelected, and the other may be a 78-year-old convicted felon who's made it

and nra, i would call them interesting, incrementalist, right. the the sort of reformers really do come off particularly well. they don't come off as very effective of they seem to get sidetracked trying to raise money and just really focused on the nra and trying to oppose it. and and i wonder if you can talk a little bit about that, because that's an important element, i think, to, you know, how got to where we are today. yeah. and in some cases the failure, the liberal reforms you've talked about, right. so laura fermi is again this activist chicago and she has this essentially sort of abolitionist message about civilian firearms ownership and she makes a connection with a young man named mark baranski. baranski is is mugged chicago when he's a graduate student at the university of chicago laura family lives around there because her husband was this prominent physicist at the university of chicago. and he gets interested in something about this. he says, we don't have national lobby to counter the nra because, you know, i got mugged and there'

and also tonight, look here the man who led the nra four years into the ground is out. thanks in part to the legal process of new york's attorney general. i am paola ramos, in for a minute look at dean, let's do this. ♪ ♪ ♪ today, january 6th, marks three years since rioters violently stormed the halls of our nation's capital. three years since supporters of donald trump attempted to overturn the will of the, people and three years since americas nearly 250-year-long democratic experiment almost made its end. yesterday, president joe biden kicked off the 2024 election year by marking this anniversary with a grim warning, the threat to our democracy is still ongoing. >>> trump is trying to steal history. the same way he try to steal the election. we all know who donald trump is, the question we have to answer is, who are we? that's what's at stake. who are we? >> reporter: who are we? biden is hardly alone in his fears. in a new piece for the bulwark, bill kristol and jeffrey shoeless issued a warning of their own, quote, the fact is that the united states is closer to d

. >>> the head of the nra resigning days before his corruption trial. >>> deadly high school shootingn perry, the person who was lost and what the principal did to save as many as possible. >>> alkter and two young daughters killed in a plane crash. >>> daughter abused by her mother then convicted of killing her mother. debra roberts with the interview, what the daughter wants everybody to know. >>> there is news on michael bolton, and we remember the star from one of the biggest cop shows of the 1970s and his famous song. you'll know it. ♪ >> announcer: from abc news world headquarters in new york, this is "world news tonight" with david muir. >> we begin with breaking stories. a major winter storm for the east. massive fire, passenger planes landing through smoke at newark airport. first breaking news at the supreme court, justices will hear former president trump he's appeal after colorado decided he should be off the ballot because of january 6th. the supreme court saying they will hear the case and quickly when it comes to the calendar. the justices agreeing to hear arguments feb

wayne lapierre announced plans to resign as the nra executive vice president at the end of this month. he cited health reasons for his decision and the announcement comes days before the start of his civil trial in new york. he and three other nra leaders are accused of violating nonprofit laws and misusing millions of dollars of nra funds to finance their own lavish lifestyles. >>> now to the deadly shooting at a high school in iowa. tonight, police have identified a 17-year-old student as the gunman who opened fire on his classmates. happened yesterday at harry heiskell. it was the first day back to school following winter break. a sixth-grader was killed and four others heard. tonight we are learning the school principal was one of those injured. his daughter posted on facebook saying that he tried to take the shooter down and distracted him long enough for other students to escape. police say the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. >>> the u.s. secretary of state is in the middle east this weekend arriving in istanbul today. it comes as the biden administration grapp

rights and wayne lapierre had worked for the nra since 1977.ident in 1991, and as i say, he was a big figure in american politics because of the role he played with the nra, the gun rights lobby. we will bring you more on that story when we get it. now back to british politics. the prime minister is facing another by election challenge. former minister chris skidmore says he will resign the conservative whip and stand down as an mp as soon as possible. it's over new legislation to issue more oil and gas licences. ian watsonjoins ian watson joins us from westminster. what can you tell us? i think it's interesting for this reason because chris skidmore, a former government minister and energy minister, had already announced he was standing down at the next election so he is really ratcheting up opposition to what was his own government, resigning the conservative wet but now he will be causing a by election and indeed a new year headache for the prime minister, already facing a difficult by election as well in the east midlands. now this seat, wh

and nra, i would call them interesting, incrementalist, right. sort of reformers really do come off particularly well. they don't come off as very effective of they seem to get sidetracked trying to raise money and just really focused on the nra and trying to oppose it. and and i wonder if you can talk a little bit about that, because that's an important element, i think, to, you know, how got to where we are today. yeah. and in some cases the failure, the liberal reforms you've talked about, right. so laura fermi is again this activist chicago and she has this essentially sort of abolitionist message about civilian firearms ownership and she makes a connection with a young man named mark baranski. baranski is is mugged chicago when he's a graduate student at the university of chicago laura family lives around there because her husband was this prominent physicist at the university of chicago. and he gets interested in something about this. he says, we don't have national lobby to counter the nra because, you know, i got mugged and there's everyw

and nra, i would call them interesting, incrementalist, right.ort of reformers really do come off particularly well. they don't come off as very effective of they seem to get sidetracked trying to raise money and just really focused on and and i wonder if you can talk a little bit about that, because that's an important element, i think, to, you know, how got to where we are today. yeah. and in some cases the failure, the liberal reforms you've talked about, right. so laura fermi is again this activist chicago and she has this essentially sort of abolitionist message about civilian firearms ownership and she makes a connection with a young man named mark baranski. baranski is is mugged chicago when he's a graduate student at the university of chicago laura family lives around there because her husband was this prominent physicist at the university of chicago. and he gets interested in something about this. he says, we don't have national lobby to counter the nra because, you know, i got mugged and there's everywhere on the streets of chicago here

we look forward to ensuring the nra, and the defendants, face justice for their actions., earlier today, u.s. secretary of state tony blinken met with turkish president or-to-one instead will, as part of his latest middle east tour. according to nbc news, the two leaders spoke about the ongoing conflict in gaza, where blinken emphasized the need to prevent it from spreading. efforts to release hostages expansion of humanitarian assistance, and working towards broader, lasting peace in the region. blinken now on his way to jordan. i want to bring in our nbc news current foreign force -- who is in tel aviv for us. matt if you will, talk to us about what blinken faces, once he reaches israel, and the battle, the uphill battle he has there. >> yeah i mean, the biggest issue is exactly what you just described, yasmin. he just arrived in turkey, just as we saw has below over the past day announced that it had launched 62 projectiles into northern israel. now the israelis said that they had launched about 40, has blood launched about 40, and some 90 sirens went off in northern i

of course, the former nra had announcing last week that he was stepping down from the organization. we will see how that impacts that advocacy wing of conservative circles and such. but for republicans, racine nikki haley and ron desantis sort of respond how you expect them to respond. you are seeing focus on mental health. they don't want to touch the issue of taking firearms away or limiting or restricting firearms in any way. now, in the republican primary that is one thing, but it is going to be interesting to see how this plays any general election, particularly when you have someone like former president -- excuse me, current president biden who has talked quite a bit about gun control, work with republicans in the senate to pass gun-control reform following the uvalde school shooting. democrats obviously have more work to be done on their end, but someone like joe who was vice president when the shooting happened in connecticut, this is a very big issue for him. so i'm curious to see how the republican candidate approach this issue in a very conservative state like iowa to so

the trial could result in the nra being dissolved. lapierre has led the nra since 1991. meanwhile, new york attorney general letitia james has asked a judge to issue a $370 million fine against donald trump, his two adult sons, and the trump organization for committing decades of financial fraud. in a new court filing, james also asked for trump to be barred from the new york real estate industry. in other legal news, the u.s. supreme court has agreed to hear an appeal from trump after judges in colorado ruled the former president is ineligible to appear on the state's primary ballot. the justices will decide whether trump violated the insurrectionist clause of the u.s. constitution for his role in the january 6 insurrection. oral arguments will be held on february 8. meanwhile, president biden has denounced trump as a threat to democracy. in his first campaign speech of 2024, biden spoke in valley forge, pennsylvania, on the eve of the third anniversary of the january 6 insurrection. pres. biden: donald trump's campaign is about him, not you. his campaign is obsessed wi

and yet you have when lapierre on trial for corruption, steps down as head of the nra.he famously said the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with the gun. the nra at its weakest point ever, how is it possible that an assault weapons band isn't something that isn't embraced fully by democrats, not to mention many republicans? >> the fact is you have too many cowardly politicians and certainly the republicans on the others out of the i/o are all cowards on this issue. and democrats as well. there are a few out there that refuse to say this and they need to say this, we need an assault weapons ban in this country. i have guns. a lot of them. i don't need an ar-15. it is the most powerful gun i have ever fired. it fires three times this deed of a nine millimeter. it is complete death and destruction. i saw it all. i say cowardly for this reason. sitting in the lieutenant governor's office, very wrong and early for me, maybe as soon as the session started a said, dan, have to be able to do something on this issue. just raise the age limit. after an hou

. >>> we've got breaking news, the long time head of the nra, wayne lapierre, has just announced his resignation. the nra posted this statement, quote, i've been a card-carrying member of this organization for most of my adult life, and i will never stop supporting the nra and its fight to defend second amendment freedom. my passion for our cause burns as deeply as ever. the 74-year-old citing health reasons as his motivation for leaving. his resignation will take effect january 31st. by my calculation, he has headed that powerful organization for 32 years. this resignation comes as he prepares to face trial in a corruption case brought by new york attorney general letitia james. >>> ron desantis and nikki haley ramping up their attacks on donald trump, but with just ten days left until iowa votes, what can it accomplish really? that's next. [camera shutter sfx] he thinks his flaky, red patches are all people see. otezla is the #1 prescribed pill to treat plaque psoriasis. [ned?] it can help you get clearer skin and reduce itching and flaking. with no routine blood tests required. do