Return the money or return the guns!

The ATA was told by the Illinois Attorney General that the ATA's bylaws forbid the $16,000+ guns the EC was giving to themselves. The ATA was forced to change the bylaws. A great example of corruption in the bowels of our sport.

Is it time to have the monies or guns returned? Will it be necessary to file an action against those that participated?

 

The implosion is picking up speed.

 

It all depends on what our leaders believe is the definition of "compensation." While the ordinary ATA member understands that the By-laws prohibited officers from receiving compensation, but did provide for allowances of a fixed sum and expenses for attendance of regular and special meetings, it seems that those folks we elected from States and Provinces recently re-wrote the definition that has been in place since the amateurs took control of the sport in the early 1920's. Here's how it was explained in the ATA By-laws as printed in Sportsmen's Review in 1924 :

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At some point our leadership chose to interpret those rules a bit more loosely and much less transparent from their original design. Yes, while expenses were specifically for the purpose of meetings, members of future Executive Committees decided to hold their meetings at shooting tournaments and lobbying for increased stipends to help cover the cost.

Then came the President's shotgun as a gift for service. For many years the shotgun was somewhat a secret, known only to a few. It was never reported as compensation, never entered on financial reporting, and as much as I've tried, I have not found any mention in the sporting journals of the ATA Board of Directors granting permission for a President to purchase their own firearm. My guess is that if our Delegates approved the purchase way back in the 1970's, 1960's or 1950's, whenever the first President decided to use ATA funds to buy himself a new gun, there would not have been a need at last August's annual BOD meeting, to amend the By-laws, allowing legally, for the first time in ATA history, the $16,500 President's shotgun.

So, while our leadership may be of the opinion that there was no violation of the By-law rule that they must serve without compensation, sensible people, regardless of their opinion of the matter, will conclude that all previous purchases of the President's gun were done so outside of the scope of our By-laws. From a discussion I had some years ago with a Past President from the early 1990's, he told me that his gun expense was less than $500. Does it interest anyone to wonder how and when President's started spending $16,000? Who granted permission? Why didn't any of the Board of Directors question the expense? Why was it not reported in ATA financial statements, and why didn't any of our ATA officers and lawyers see this as a violation of existing By-laws?

Last August, those people we elect at State and Provincial annual meetings, to serve as watchdogs in the best interests of our sport, changed the long-standing rule prohibiting officer's compensation, thus allowing the annual expensive gift. Lets not forget that the By-law amendment only came due to the recommendation from the Illinois Attorney General's office after investigating complaints. Nobody possessed the wherewithal to change the By-law provision when the violation was pointed out in Robert Glatz report or by the past ATA secretary and probably many others. I recall discussing the issue with many Delegates almost 10 years ago and not one was interested nor saw it as a violation.

So, how should the Board of Directors treat all the guns purchased in violation of the By-laws over the last 50 or 60 years? Well, they just decided to overlook it. What the heck, its done and over with. And to think, the guns were hidden in the Presidents expense report each year and the ATA did not even officially recognized the expense in their annual Official Financial Report given to every Board of Director (which at one time was sent to every Life Member), until about 2006 or 2007 when reportedly all past and present ATA Presidents were issued IRS 1099's.

Simply put . . . . . our watchdogs did not care to do their duty. The rules were changed to make a violation acceptable.

 

Why stop at the "gift shotguns" ?????

Why not inflated travel expense to take themselves "shooting", in places like Florida ?????

Why not a complete audit of the "Trophy packages" ????? ..... not just those that some "high-profile" people didn't like .....

Why not ask for a "return of money" that was won under "known cheating" ?????

The list could go on ..... but, it is time to look forward ..... the "shooters" have taken their pounding.

The many things our history can tell, good and bad, can lead us forward for time much better invested than trying to correct the past.

"Private" legal action would be a "lose-lose" for all. Those driven by greed will fight hard to keep "ill-gotten gains".

You can only "let the cat out of the bag", after that it becomes "a fool and their money" .....

 

Some wonder why OH and PA folk do not want this in their backyard. Sad

 

HB,

YOU make too much sense with your statements.

We wonder why, and you present the facts.

WE the membership are NOT on that" Need To Know Basis" with you at the helm !!!

YOU keep is informed at all levels, and I for one DO APPRECIATE this immensely !!!

Thank you for taking the time to keep us informed.

Without you, if we relied on the ATA to give us facts, we would be waiting a very long time.

Hell, they even destroyed valuable documents before the "Move", so how can they be trusted with anything else ?