Wayne LaPierre is stepping down from the Nationwide Rifle Affiliation after greater than three many years because the chief of the gun rights advocacy group.

The choice got here as LaPierre, 74, faces an impending authorized showdown in New York, the place jury choice has already begun in a civil lawsuit filed by Legal professional Common Letitia James, who has accused high officers of the group, together with LaPierre, of diverting thousands and thousands of {dollars} for his or her private use.

On the helm of the NRA since 1991, LaPierre, the group’s govt vice chairman and CEO, mentioned his exit will take impact on January 31.

“With delight in all that we now have completed, I’m asserting my resignation from the NRA,” LaPierre mentioned in a press release launched by the NRA. “I have been a card-carrying member of this group for many of my grownup life, and I’ll by no means cease supporting the NRA and its struggle to defend Second Modification freedom. My ardour for our trigger burns as deeply as ever.”

James’ lawsuit in opposition to the NRA, LaPierre and others is scheduled to start out on Monday, with LaPierre amongst these anticipated to testify.

LaPierre and three others are accused of illegally diverting tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars} from the NRA and spending the nonprofit’s funds on holidays and different questionable expenditures. 

James responded to LaPierre’s introduced resignation by calling the event “an necessary victory” that “validates” her workplace’s claims in opposition to him. “We look ahead to presenting our case in courtroom,” the legal professional common mentioned in a post on X, previously often known as Twitter.

The go well with filed by James in 2020 seeks to ban LaPierre and others from serving in management roles of any not-for-profit or charitable group doing enterprise in New York, which might successfully bar them from involvement with the NRA. 

The New York-based group filed for chapter safety in 2021 and sought to maneuver its headquarters to Texas. However a federal decide blocked the transfer, opening the door for New York prosecutors to proceed with their case.

— The Related Press contributed to this report.