Wayne LaPierre, is stepping down# after more than three decades.

His announcement came ahead of a civil corruption# trial brought by the New York attorney Letitia James, alleging fraud and mismanagement.# James was seeking his removal as part of the case.

For more on this and what it means for the future# of the NRA, I spoke moments ago with Mike Spies,## senior writer for The Trace.

And I asked# him why LaPierre is stepping down now.

MIKE SPIES, The Trace: Well, we can# only really speculate at the moment.

He cited health reasons, but I have never heard# of him havin likely that the trial is supposed to start on# Monday, and that it's not looking super great## for the NRA.

The organization's, interestingly,# had several years to make this decision.

It## probably would have saved it quite a bit of# money had it made it at any point before now.

We're talking to the tune of more than# $100 million.

But I suspect that the## one thing the A.G. is seeking of# significance at this stage -- or## was seeking of significance at this stage,# was to remove Wayne LaPierre from power.

So, by taking that off the table, it could# possibly be an offering of some kind.

AMNA NAWAZ: Tell us a little bit# more about that corruption trial,## though.

What is it that Attorney General Letitia MIKE SPIES: Well, she's really alleging# that he's done a host of things.

But, in short, he is alleged to have presided# over and eng self-dealing and corruption that's essentially# pervaded every aspect of the organization's## executive ranks over a period of 30 years and# cost the NRA many, many, many tens of millions## of dollars that got shelled out for sweetheart# deals, other very luxurious personal expenses,## using vendors for trips on yachts to# the Bahamas, endless private jet usage.

There's really -- obviously, everyone heard# about the hundreds of thousands of dollars on## custom suits.

There was really no -- nothing# that it seems that the folks at the top there## had not engaged in over the -- over the time# that the NRA was bringing in lots of money.

AMNA NAWAZ: So Mike, Wayne LaPierre is 74 years# old.

He's been at the helm for more than three## decades and really, I think it's fair to# say, transformed gun culture in America,## including making it a major political force.

This is the guy who, after the Sandy Hook# shooting he said the only thing that stops a bad# guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.

Does LaPierre stepping down change the# influence that the NRA has had politically?

MIKE SPIES: Yes, it does change the# influence that it's had politically,## because Wayne was the last symbol that# carried any meaning for Th e rest of the organization that people# interfaced with over the last bunch of years## is all gone.

Its messaging infrastructure is dead.# Its ability to spend money on political elections## went bye-bye once the lawsuit started.

And so the# last recognizable face was his, and he's gone now.

And so its ability to effect change in the moment,## I think, is more or less nonexistent.# But its presence is still felt every## day because the machine that it created# over a period of decades and its success## at resocializing a portion of America and# the Republican Party is not going anywhere.

And, effectively, we have a split now.# It's either you're sort of an absolutist,## in which case, you're in the NRA's camp and# you're a member of the Republican P or you're in favor of regulation, in# which case you identify with Democrats.

And so a group like the NRA doesn't really# need to cast that kind of influence anymore,## because the machine's already# working on autopilot, if you will.

AMNA NAWAZ: That civil corruption# trial was scheduled to begin next week.

Does him stepping down shield# him from prosecution in any way?

MIKE SPIES: No, it doesn't.

He's -- hard to know what's in store for him.

I mean,# one of the things, in addition to his remov that the A.G. was seeking was a range of# financial penalties, money that would, by the way,## just redound to the NRA.

It's not money that would# go into the state of New York's coffers, because,## as she's alleging, it's money that was wrongly# taken from members and used for personal benefit.

AMNA NAWAZ: That is Mike Spies, senior# writer for The Trace, joining us tonight.

Mike, thank you.

Appreciate your time.

MIKE SPIES: Thanks so much for having me.