Leaked documents highlight the NRA's financial troubles

The rift between the National Rifle Association's Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre and the organization's ex-board president Oliver North is continuing to grow.

Anonymous documents posted online show that the NRA has accrued massive legal bills over the past year, while the organization's chief executive, Wayne LaPierre, spent lavishly on clothing and travel, billing the organization's ad agency for his expenses. NRA officials disputed the documents' claims, but their authenticity was confirmed.

The documents, which The Daily Beast writes appear to be written by North, estimate that the NRA has reportedly, on average, been paying close to $100,000 per day in legal bills. Despite this, LaPierre billed the NRA's ad agency, Ackerman McQueen, $542,000 for travel and other expenses, including $39,000 for one day of shopping in Beverly Hills, The Wall Street Journal reports. However, the NRA's new president, Carolyn Meadows, expressed support for LaPierre and said the NRA is fully aware of the situation.

The NRA sued Ackerman McQueen in April, accusing the agency of failing to justify its billing. The lawsuit was a catalyst for the battle between North and LaPierre. Read more at The Wall Street Journal and The Daily Beast.