After each mass shooting in America, the nation relives a near-scripted clash: calls for stricter gun laws, pushback from pro-gun activists led by the National Rifle Association, and an ultimate impasse.
But this time — following seven days that left at least 35 people dead in shootings in Gilroy, Calif., El Paso and Dayton, Ohio — one side of that power struggle appears to have shifted.
The NRA is busy managing another crisis: its own.
For months the organization has weathered a series of public spectacles stemming from both infighting and outside scrutiny. Most recently, in the middle of last week’s mass shootings, three members of the NRA board resigned, citing concerns over irresponsible spending by the organization’s leaders.