By law, auctioneer could not impose views at NRA event

This is in response to Wednesday's letter from A.J. Martin, "Local NRA auction was disappointing."

Friends of NRA is a fundraising program for The NRA Foundation. As a 501 c-3 group, the foundation is subject to federal law that prohibits any association or activity involving the endorsement of, or opposition to, any political candidate. This includes the remarks made by the auctioneer and explains why I tried to stop him - first by giving him a quick handwritten note, which he ignored.

If allowed, his remarks would have been a direct violation of IRS regulations and our 501 c-3 status, and jeopardized our ability to raise and distribute funds in the state.

The author of Thursday's letter to the editor, Mr. A.J. Martin, claims to have been the auctioneer. Yet my records show that the auctioneer at that event, and at the last several events, was not Mr. Martin but Mr. Jeff Marsh.

The auctioneer, Mr. Martin or Mr. Marsh, has a right to his political opinions. He does not have a right to break the laws that govern our events.

By the way, in Virginia, The NRA Foundation has awarded more than $2 million in grants to support shooting education programs, range improvements, youth safety programs, etc.

Virginia 4-H Shooting Education Clubs alone have received about $500,000.