Charles L. Cotton

Charles Cotton
President of the National Rifle Association of America
In office
October 1, 2021 – May 21, 2024
Preceded byCarolyn D. Meadows
Succeeded byBob Barr
Personal details
Born (1949-11-28) November 28, 1949 (age 75)
SpouseMartha Cotton
EducationUniversity of Houston (JD)

Charles L. Cotton (born November 28, 1949) is an American attorney and gun rights advocate who served as president of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) from 2021 to 2024.[1] Cotton is also the moderator of TexasCHLForum.com, an online discussion forum about gun ownership.

Biography and education

Cotton grew up in Houston, Texas.[2] Cotton stated that "grew up hunting and plinking".[3] He graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Houston in 1987.[4]

National Rifle Association career

Cotton is a trustee of the NRA's Civil Rights Defense Fund.[5] He chaired the NRA’s audit committee from 2017 onwards.[6] Cotton was elected President of the NRA in 2021, succeeding Carolyn D. Meadows.[1] He was reelected President on May 30, 2022.[7]

TexasCHLForum.com

Cotton is the moderator of TexasCHLForum.com, a gun rights forum. In 2016, he was reportedly criticized by open carry activists, who accused him of being insufficiently supportive of gun rights.[8]

Civil War comments

On a forum post, Cotton apparently lamented the loss of the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War, lamenting that it was “too bad we lost the civil war.” Cotton later posted that his view stemmed “purely from a states’ rights viewpoint and in light of the exponential growth of federal power after the war.”[9]

Stoneman Douglas High School shooting comments

On a forum post, Cotton criticized efforts to enact gun control measures in the aftermath of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, arguing that advocates were unfairly using “the sympathy factor of kids getting killed.” In a post, Cotton stated:[6]

“Wake up people and see what’s happening!!!! Bloomberg and Hollywood are pouring money into this effort and the media is helping to the fullest extent. We’ve never had this level of opposition before, not ever. It’s a campaign of lies and distortion, but it’s very well funded and they are playing on the sympathy factor of kids getting killed.”

Personal life

He currently resides in Friendswood, Texas with his wife Martha.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Charles Cotton Elected President as NRA Celebrates 150-Year Anniversary, NRA EVP Wayne LaPierre Re-elected". National Rifle Association of America. October 2, 2021. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Board Spotlight – Charles Cotton". American Rifleman. May 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2022.[self-published source]
  3. ^ Silver, Stephen (2021-10-05). "The NRA Is Getting a New President but Keeping Its Controversial CEO". The National Interest. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  4. ^ "MR. CHARLES L. COTTON". State Bar of Texas. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  5. ^ "Officers & Board of Trustees". NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund. National Rifle Association of America. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Rohrlich, Justin (2021-10-06). "NRA Promotes Two Execs Who Spread Bonkers Conspiracies". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  7. ^ Bolton, Alexander (2022-05-30). "NRA reelects Charles Cotton as president, Wayne LaPierre as CEO". The Hill. Archived from the original on June 24, 2022. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  8. ^ Kohrman, Miles (2016-01-26). "Texas Open Carry Leader Jabs NRA Board Member for Fueling Backlash". The Trace. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  9. ^ Stahl, Jeremy (2015-06-19). "NRA Board Member Blames Slain Reverend for Charleston Deaths, Lamented "Loss" of Civil War". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2023-02-04.