Wayne LaPierre wraps up corruption trial testimony on last day as longtime NRA chief

Jan. 30 (UPI) -- A day before he is expected to step down as the longtime head of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre finished testifying Tuesday in the nearly 2-year-long corruption case.

LaPierre, 74, officially steps down Wednesday from the job he has been in for more than 30 years as the 18-months-long investigation by New York's Attorney General Letitia James into the NRA's alleged misappropriation of funds over the years goes into the trial phase.

When asked by his attorney Kent Correll if LaPierre was motivated by financial reasons in his job, he said that he was not. "I was in it for the cause and the members," LaPierre said.

LaPierre -- who said he is a "novice" hunter -- said on stand that the reason why he had authorized lavish trips on the NRA's tab was to raise its reputation and standing.

"I wanted to project the NRA as a hunting organization," he said.

"We were doing most of the legislation for that already," he said before adding that the NRA strategy was to "integrate the NRA into the center of the hunting community."

LaPierre went on to say that he had to "walk the walk, talk the talk, develop the street credit" if he wanted to do his job.

"I would never take a shot without it being on camera," he said. "The purpose was to produce a television show, that's what I was there for."

The soon-to-be-former head of the gun rights lobbying organization testified for three days and first took the stand on Jan. 26 in the financial misconduct trial.

LaPierre said his main reason for resigning and not continuing his legal fight was because of Lyme disease and an a "cognitive decline with difficulty performing daily tasks."