The NRA Is Being Supported by These Companies

By Kira Lerner, ThinkProgress

21 February 18

Come for the discounts, stay for the opposition to common sense gun laws.

s the National Rifle Association grows increasingly out of touch with most American gun owners, the organization still claims “more than five million members.” A number of corporations are making membership to the group, which opposes nearly all gun safety legislation, more enticing by partnering with the NRA. 

After paying the gun lobby’s $40 annual fee, members are offered access to a range of discounts and “five-star savings.”

Much like AARP or AAA, the organization promotes its discounts for members as a selling point for why people should join. The “valuable 5-star benefits” promised include not just a subscription to an NRA magazine and a gun-owner liability protection policy but also savings on insurance, identity theft protection, hearing aids, car rentals, moving vans, shipping, and even wine. While some of these perks are provided by in-house subsidiaries, many are offered through corporate partners — including some household names.

After the shooting in Parkland, Florida, the NRA has been the focus of renewed national attention, as the group continues to successfully block any legislation to curb gun violence on the national level. Dallas’ mayor pro tem told the NRA Monday that the group will be “met with opposition” if it holds its scheduled May conference in his city. And over the weekend, hundreds of people gathered outside the group’s Virginia headquarters to hold a vigil and protest.

ThinkProgress asked 22 corporations that the NRA says offer incentives to NRA members whether they plan to continue their relationships with the gun lobby.

[You can sign up to get updates via email about these companies and their relationship with the NRA here.]

Hertz 

The rental car company offers NRA members “up to 25% off everyday base rates at participating locations worldwide” as well as “additional program benefits.” According to the company’s website, those benefits include “everyday savings,” “bonus savings,” and “premier travel perks.” A representative for Hertz did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Avis and Budget

The two car rental companies operated by the Avis Budget Group offer NRA members up to 25 percent off base rates. A representative for the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Enterprise 

The rental car company offers members an unspecified discount. “NRA members save when you rent from Enterprise Rent-A-Car,” its website says. A representative for Enterprise did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.   

Alamo

On a special NRA member discount website, the rental car company says that “NRA members save on everyday low prices.” A representative for Enterprise Holdings, which operates the company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.   

National

The rental car company offers NRA members “up to 20% off at participating National Car Rental locations.” A representative for Enterprise Holdings, which operates the company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

TrueCar

The car buying service advertises on a special NRA member website that “members save an average of $3,383 off MSRP!” A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

LifeLine Screening 

The preventative health company based in Austin, Texas says on a NRA-specific website that members can “take advantage of affordable discounts.” A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Symantec

Norton anti-malware software, developed and distributed by Symantec Corporation, offers NRA members discounts on various subscription rates. Members can get $37 off a standard membership, $52 off a deluxe membership, and $62 off a premium membership. A representative for Symantec did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Allied Van Lines 

The moving company offers unspecified discounts to NRA members through a special website. A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.  

NorthAmerican Van Lines 

The moving company, owned by the same parent company as Allied Van Lines, also offers discounts to NRA members. “It’s a great program,” a customer service representative told ThinkProgress. “We’ve been doing this for many many years for NRA members.”

First National Bank of Omaha

 The Nebraska-based bank issues the “official credit card of the NRA.” One version of the Visa card offers five percent back on gas and sporting goods store purchases, while another offers a low intro APR. Both cards offer a $40 bonus, “enough to reimburse your one-year NRA membership!” The site also boasts that the card ensures “legislative action in support of your Second Amendment Rights,” “public education and awareness about the facts of gun ownership,” and “training and safety programs for individuals, families, and the military.” 

On Wednesday, less than 24 hours after ThinkProgress first reported the bank’s connection to the NRA, the website advertising the card disappeared. A representative for the bank did not respond to requests for comment.

SimpliSafe

NRA members receive two months free of SimpliSafe’s monitoring with the purchase of any new home security system. A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.  

Starkey Hearing Technologies

The NRA partners with this prominent hearing aid technology company to offer discounted hearing aids and “free consultations” for its members. A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.  

ManageUrID

Members are encouraged to protect their “privacy and financial security” through a subscription to this privacy protection service, though no discount is specified. A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.  

Life Insurance Central

The NRA-endorsed term life company is listed as providing “higher coverage amounts” for members on life insurance policies. A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.  

Medical Concierge Network

Unspecified “specialized exclusive benefits” are offered for members who want to join this “personal health advisory service.” The company’s founder, Greg Nassief, told ThinkProgress that he has no comment on the company’s relationship with the NRA, noting that it is not political and that his company has similar relationships “with several entities across all sorts of categories.”

eHealth

Members are invited to purchase health insurance plans through eHealth’s exchange, though no specific discount is specified. A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.  

Teladoc 

NRA members are offered a $14.95 “discounted monthly rate” for this telemedicine service. In an email, the company’s communications director Courtney McLeod told ThinkProgress that “Teladoc is not an NRA partner” and that “they offer our services (access to healthcare), just as they could offer access to any number of consumer products or services.” When ThinkProgress pointed out that the NRA site claims “a specially-discounted group rate for NRA members,” McLeod said the company “does not have a direct relationship with the NRA” and that any group rate was negotiated with a third party.

Members of the NRA’s Business Alliance, a separate program for businesses, receive additional benefits and discounts. These include:

FedEx 

The shipping giant provides up to a 26 percent discount for NRA Business Alliance members via its FedEx Advantage program. A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

LifeLock

Access to LifeLock Business Solutions, the identity-theft prevention company’s business arm, is listed as a benefit, though no specific discount is specified. A representative for its parent company, Symantec, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Wild Apricot 

NRA Business Alliance members are offered a 30-day free trial of the member management company’s website and membership software. A representative told ThinkProgress that the company offers anyone a 30-day free trial and “has absolutely no affiliation or partnership with the NRA,” but did not explain why the NRA is advertising the trial to members. In 2013, Wild Apricot told ThinkProgress that the company permits any lawful group to receive a commission if they sign up as affiliate partners and they “do not pay any fee to the NRA, and their affiliates do not receive any discount on our software.”

The NRA also manages a directory of smaller companies that offer discounts and incentives, allowing members to search by state.

In early 2013, weeks after the Sandy Hook shooting, ThinkProgress published a similar list. Since that time, several companies have discontinued their relationships with the pro-gun group.  Following a grassroots pressure campaign led by the global advocacy group Avaaz.org, both Best Western and Wyndham hotels stopped offering an NRA discount.

“We did end our discount with the NRA at the end of last year,” Maire Griffin, Wyndham’s vice president of global communications, told ThinkProgress. “We no longer will offer this discount, period.”

A similar pressure campaign by a coalition of LGBTQ rights groups and gun violence prevention organizations began pressuring FedEx to do the same in 2016, but has not yet had success.