Despite financial stress and internal turmoil that have reduced the group's reach, the National Rifle Association has a lot of cash at its disposal to influence the gun policy debate.
The National Rifle Association went ahead with its annual convention in Houston this week, despite the fact that a man shot and killed 19 children and two adults in Uvalde less than five hours away. Reflecting the group's continued clout, former President Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, and other national GOP figures will go ahead with plans to speak at a forum hosted by the NRA's lobbying arm on Friday afternoon.
Greg Abbott will return to Uvalde and not speak as planned. The lieutenant governor dropped out of speaking at the meeting because he didn't want to bring any more pain or grief to the families of the victims.
Gun safety advocates who have called for new restrictions in response to mass shootings this month in Texas and Buffalo, New York, including President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have renewed their criticism of the NRA for opposing repeated efforts to tighten firearm regulations. The power of the National Rifle Association has taken a hit in recent years, but the group still has the ability to influence gun policy in the coming weeks, along with the elections that will decide which party controls Congress next year.
As senators restart gun control talks and key races unfold around the country, the NRA will likely wade into the policy discussion. Legislators are considering a wide range of gun measures. A red flag law, which could allow police or family members to petition a court to remove firearms from dangerous people, is one of the proposals.
A spokeswoman for the organization didn't return a request for comment.
According to records, the National Rifle Association's 501(c)(4) organization had nearly $50 million in net assets at the end of 2011. The group's CEO, Wayne LaPierre, was one of nearly a dozen representatives who engaged with the federal government on gun-related bills in the first quarter. The NRA spent a lot of money on lobbying.
The organization spent the most on lobbying in a single quarter in its history, only a few months after it announced that it was filing for bankruptcy and moving its operations to Texas. A disclosure report shows that the National Rifle Association spent more than $2 million on lobbying in the second quarter of 2021.
The gun group's separate 501(c)(3) called the NRA Foundation, which cannot lobby but holds events on topics including gun safety and marksmanship, has more than $140 million in net assets. The organization's sponsorship program allows supporters to give money, and if they give more than a certain amount, they can receive a gun.
Gun-control advocates hold a vigil outside of the National Rifle Association (NRA) headquarters following the recent mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 25, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia.According to a Federal Election Commission filing, the political action committee of the National Rifle Association had more than 15 million dollars on hand. The Republicans who received the most money last month were running for office in the upcoming elections.
GOP candidates in Texas received $4,000 from the NRA committee in April. Ronny Jackson and Dan Crenshaw each received $1,000 from the NRA's political action committee. Texas congressional hopefuls received the same amount.
The representatives for those candidates didn't respond to questions about whether their campaigns will accept money from the NRA.
As voters cast their ballots in primary elections across the country, senators began talks on which gun reforms could get through the chamber in a bipartisan vote.
A poll taken the day after the Texas shooting shows broad support for some of the gun policy changes Congress has considered in the past. More than 70% of respondents said they supported background checks on all gun sales, while another 15% supported the proposal.
A majority of those surveyed said they supported banning assault-style weapons. Some people support banning those firearms.
The National Rifle Association has spoken out against measures like assault weapons bans and expanded gun background check systems.
The group has spread its messages. According to the social media giant's ad library, the NRA's Facebook ads are still active. The picture of Biden and Harris is in an ad for the NRA that says "Don't let them take your guns."
It leads viewers to an online petition to Congress that demands that they vote down every bill, treaty, resolution, and amendment that would violate my Second Amendment rights.
The internal turmoil has weakened the country's gun culture and policy because of the large role played by the National Rifle Association.
New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the organization in an attempt to destroy it. The group lost more than $65 million in three years because current and former executives used the funds for their own gain.
In March 2021, a federal judge allowed James' suit to go forward after dismissing the NRA's bid to seek bankruptcy protection.
In March of this year, a judge ruled that the suit could not shut down the NRA completely, but that the litigation could continue.
The advisor that helped the group weather its recent financial and legal troubles will continue to support it. According to CNBC, Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors, a law firm that has represented the gun lobbying group, has no plans to stop doing business.
One of the firms that has represented the NRA in the legal fight with James is Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors. The firm was paid more than 40 million dollars by the NRA in the most recent years for which tax forms are publicly available.
The firm said in a statement that it will honor its commitments to the Association, its leadership, and millions of law-abiding members.
This was an incomprehensible tragedy, the act of a deranged person. We are praying for the victims, their families and the entire community. We join others in their call to make our schools safe and secure.
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