The Woman Who Took On the N.R.A. After Two Gun Suicides
Summary
Host Tyler Foggett interviews Mike Spees about his reporting on Stormy K., who lost two partners to gun suicide and sued the NRA after one secretly bequeathed his retirement funds to the organization. The episode explores how the NRA’s radicalization of members like Lou Tabler contributed to his violent behavior and death. It highlights the disconnect between gun rights ideology and the reality that most gun deaths are suicides, often among the very demographics the industry targets.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Bilt, Quince, and Monarch
Introduction: Gun suicide statistics and the NRA's role
Stormy's first marriage and Barry Morse's suicide
Meeting Louis Tabler and his NRA radicalization
The NRA's political messaging and existential threat tactics
Sponsors: Policy Genius and Wayfair
Tabler's volatility and anti-government conspiracy theories
Tabler's planned giving to the NRA and abuse of Stormy
The confrontation with Miles and Tabler's suicide
The legal battle over Tabler's 401k and the settlement
Sponsors: Policy Genius and Wayfair
The irony of gun ownership and suicide risk
Failed prevention efforts and legal barriers to reform
Current state of gun laws and the decline of the NRA
Credits and final sponsors: Mint Mobile and Stitch Fix
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