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Charles Cotton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of theNational Rifle Association of America | |
| In office October 1, 2021 – May 21, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Carolyn D. Meadows |
| Succeeded by | Bob Barr |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1949-11-28)November 28, 1949 (age 75) |
| Spouse | Martha Cotton |
| Education | University of Houston (JD) |
Charles L. Cotton (born November 28, 1949) is an American attorney and gun rights advocate who served as president of theNational 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.
Cotton grew up inHouston, Texas.[2] Cotton stated that "grew up hunting and plinking".[3] He graduated with aJuris Doctor degree from theUniversity of Houston in 1987.[4]
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, succeedingCarolyn D. Meadows.[1] He was reelected President on May 30, 2022.[7]
Cotton is the moderator of TexasCHLForum.com, a gun rights forum. In 2016, he was reportedly criticized byopen carry activists, who accused him of being insufficiently supportive of gun rights.[8]
On a forum post, Cotton apparently lamented the loss of theConfederate States of America in theAmerican 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]
On a forum post, Cotton criticized efforts to enact gun control measures in the aftermath of theStoneman 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.”
He currently resides inFriendswood, Texas with his wife Martha.[2]