Backing away from its defense of a recent fund-raising letter that described some federal agents as "jack-booted thugs," the National Rifle Association is offering an apology.
"I really feel bad about the fact that the words in that letter have been interpreted to apply to all federal law enforcement officers," NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said in a telephone interview from Phoenix."If anyone thought the intention was to paint all federal law enforcement officials with the same broad brush, I'm sorry, and I apologize," LaPierre said Wednesday.
LaPierre's apology comes after a week of steadily mounting criticism of the NRA. It began May 10 when former President George Bush revealed he had resigned from the group in protest of LaPierre's letter. Earlier this week, President Clinton joined the critics and praised Bush for his action.
On Wednesday, as NRA officials were gathering in Phoenix on the eve of the organization's annual meeting, there was another rebuke. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., a longtime NRA member, said the letter contained the "ludicrous and offensive implication" that federal agents are encouraged by the government to commit acts of violence against ordinary people.
LaPierre insisted that the fund-raising letter was intended to criticize only isolated actions, primarily involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
But at least one section of the letter offered a more sweeping condemnation of federal law enforcement efforts.
The letter, sent to the NRA's 3.5 million members in March over LaPierre's signature, referred to federal law enforcement agents as "jack-booted government thugs" and said that "in Clinton's administration, if you have a badge, you have the government's go-ahead to harass, intimidate, even murder law-abiding citizens."
"Not too long ago, it was unthinkable for federal agents wearing Nazi bucket helmets and black storm trooper uniforms to attack law-abiding citizens," the letter said.
Asked whether the NRA was changing its tack in apologizing, LaPierre said the organization hadn't been able to get its true message out because of the uproar caused by the letter and Bush's resignation.
"That letter was intended to apply to a number of specific cases where we thought the government's conduct was improper," LaPierre insisted. "We've always been pro-law enforcement. There are heroes out there doing their jobs every day, under impossible circumstances."
LaPierre indicated Wednesday that the NRA will continue to be one of the ATF's harshest critics.
"The key issue here is, will there be effective oversight of federal law enforcement agents?" he asked. "These are specific cases, involving the ATF, that call out for some kind of investigation."
He also insisted that congressional hearings - or the appointment of a special commission - are needed to do the job.
"Asking the ATF to investigate itself is like asking Nixon to investigate himself during Watergate," LaPierre said.