Mike Haas is the President of the West Contra Costa NRA Member's Council. He also acts as the state NRA's "chief technology guy" on a volunteer basis, maintains various websites such as
www.nramemberscouncils.com and
www.nrawinningteam.com and moderates the invitation-only NRA state mailing list. His moderation of that latter has been described as "iron fisted" by a number of folks.
He is an unpaid volunteer last I heard.
He is part of the "zero dissent" movement within the state NRA MC system, a strong supporter of Paul Payne's management of that system. To his credit, I've seen Mike fail to play ball with Fairfax (NRA HQ) once when they backed Dan Lungren for Governor in '98. THAT was something worthy of revolt
.
A few points here:
1) NRA state lobyist Ed Worley is VERY good at playing defense on bad bills, probably the best we'll ever see. A true master, and I don't mean that sarcastically, it's a necessary thing.
2) By cracking down on "dissent" within the MC system, Haas and Payne have (mostly) kept it together when every other state's MC system was abandoned (de-chartered by Fairfax) for playing sides during the endless Knox vs. LaPierre struggles or over policy issues. By keeping the MC system together ('cept for some notable breakaway chapters), lines of communication between the chapters and Ed Worley were preserved. That allows Ed to tell the MC system which legicritters to target with phone calls, faxes and letters, resulting in "precision bombing campaigns" that are highly effective.
Where I disagree is in Ed's/Paul's decision to play sides for the state GOP in support for their help blocking new gun control. They abandoned ME when I started going after crooked GOP sheriffs and it all started when I explained the problem back around February to a high-level GOP strategist who I won't name because it doesn't matter.
Ed is betting that he can hold the line well enough with the GOP's support to wait it out and see the GOP back in control.
I want to attack *now* in court, play hell with the crooked top cops of BOTH parties, and be seen as non-partisan by the Dems and able to work with 'em. And I've got another card up my sleeve for the Dems I can't talk about yet.