Mansion in Westlake's Gated Vaquero Community Becomes Part of Probe Into NRA's Tax-exempt Status

New York authorities are investigating the National Rifle Association's planned purchase of a North Texas mansion for its chief executive Wayne LaPierre, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post.The deal for the 10,020-square-foot home in Westlake's exclusive Vaquero gated community fell through last year, the Journal and Post reported. The mansion is still for sale, with a list price today of $5.25 million.The Post, quoting two unnamed sources familiar with the details, said the transaction for the mansion was slated to be made through a corporate entity that received a wire of tens of thousands of dollars from the NRA in 2018.The New York attorney general's office is examining the plan for an NRA-financed mansion as part of its ongoing investigation into the gun lobby's tax-exempt status, the Post reported. It has subpoenaed the group's financial records.The Journal said the NRA's advertising agency, Ackerman McQueen, recently turned over information about the deal to New York authorities. The house discussions occurred early last year, shortly after the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., the Journal reported. It said LaPierre was concerned about his security and wanted another home besides his publicly known address in northern Virginia.LaPierre and his wife visited Vaquero several times, according to the reports. Vaquero's high-profile homeowners range from celebrity athletes and entertainers to business and political figures. Earlier this summer, former Exxon Mobil CEO and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson bought a 16,000-square-foot home in the development from a former major league baseball star.  Continue reading...