USA Today: What’s been your biggest disappointment?
.
Nancy Pelosi: My disappointment, I always have it. I’ll never give up on it, is guns. A four-letter word, guns. Guns. That children would be dying in a classroom. That families just just the saddest thing. But it’s about two things. That politicians should think that their political survival is more important than their survival of children and families in our country. and that the gun industry, I’m not talking about lobbyists here and all of us. I’m talking about the gun industry with endless big money just deciding that they are going to have it their way at the cost of lives in our country so they can make a profit. And it’s an a global issue too. I mean, you you understand that guns are very a border issue as well. They don’t care. They just care about making money. So, it’s money and power and kids pay the price and families pay the price.
So what is the truth? If money buys politician’s votes, gun control legislation would pass easily. While gun control groups spent at least $79.5 million versus $1,723,804 — 46 times more for the gun control group. On top of that, we would argue that the gun control regulations Pelosi and other Democrats push, such as creating gun-free zones, create targets for these mass shootings at schools and other places. For a discussion about Australia’s gun control laws see here.
Michael Bloomberg’s Spending during the 2024 Federal Elections —
Everytown (Bloomberg is the major funder): $45 million to fund voter outreach in the next few months to get 10 million like minded voters to the polls
Bloomberg’s donation to Everytown-Demand a Seat PAC: $8 million
Bloomberg’s donation to Future Forward: $19 million
Total: $72 million+
But Bloomberg made other donations that weren’t directly related to gun control.
$20 million to a pro-Biden/Harris super PAC earlier in the cycle
$50 million donation went to Future Forward USA Action, a nonprofit aligned with the Future Forward PAC that was the main super PAC supporting Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign
Giffords Gun Control Group
Outside Spending: $7,175,600
Direct Contributions: $151,408
Total: $7,327,008
Brady Campaign
Contributions: $34,165
Independent expenditures: $122,500
Total: $156,665
Total for these groups, ignoring the general donations from Bloomberg is $79.5 million. If you include the other Bloomberg donations, the total rises to $149.5 million.
Spending on the other side
National Rifle Association
Outside independent expenditures (NRA PAC) ~$188,800
Direct campaign contributions (NRA PAC) ~$256,950
Total ~$445,750+
Gun Owners of America (GOA)
GOA Victory Fund – outside spending ~$181,562
National Shooting Sports Foundation
Outside Spending $306,663
contributions $840,519
Total $847,182
National Association for Gun Rights
Outside Spending $192,805
Contributions $56,505
Total $249,310
Total for NRA, GOA, National Shooting Sports Foundation, NAGR: $1,723,804
