What Happened To The NRA’s Opposition To NSA Surveillance?

The National Rifle Association wrote an editorial in the Washington Times last week calling on the Senate to pass the USA Freedom Act, a bill that would have limited the National Security Agency’s illegal spying program.

The article called the USA Freedom Act “badly needed legislation” that should be “sent to the White House as soon as possible.”

But the article disappeared just a few hours after it was posted. The only explanation came from the editor of the Washington Times, who said that the article was taken down as a “courtesy” to the authors.

The NRA hasn’t said anything about why it had the article removed, and it hasn’t issued any follow up statement about the USA Freedom Act.

The NRA previously stood strong against the NSA’s illegal surveillance practices. In 2013, it joined a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against Obama’s surveillance program, saying that the program “could allow identification of NRA members, supporters, potential members and other persons with whom the NRA communicates.”

But when a bill to abolish NSA surveillance actually came up for a vote, the NRA ate its own words. Why?

The day after the article was retracted, the USA Freedom Act failed in the Senate after being filibustered by Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell and other big government Republicans.

The reasons for the NRA’s retraction are unclear, but judging by its close relationship with the Republican establishment, there may have been some backroom deal-making going on.