Nra Says Controversial Fund-Raising Letter Is Paying Off

Criticism and apologies aside, the National Rifle Association says the fund-raising letter that prompted former President Bush to resign his membership is bringing in a huge amount of money.

Though declining to release specific dollar figures, NRA officials contend the letter has already drawn more than 900,000 responses - most of them positive - making it one of the group’s most successful ever.

“This is going to do very, very well, and will raise well over a million dollars,” said Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA. “There is a very real concern out there about the issues we raised in that letter.”

Those concerns - primarily over threats the group contends citizens face from government agents - have been overshadowed by the letter’s graphic language, which included references to law enforcement officials as “jack-booted thugs.”

On Wednesday, after a week of growing criticism that began when Bush announced he had resigned in protest over the letter’s tone, the NRA apologized for any offense, particularly to law enforcement officials.

“I really feel bad about the fact that the words in that letter have been interpreted to apply to all federal law enforcement officers,” LaPierre said. “If anyone thought the intention was to paint all federal law enforcement officials with the same broad brush, I’m sorry, and I apologize.”