Stephen Gutowski of the Washington Free Beacon writes about behind-the-scenes activity linked to a federal gun-control case.
Some of the country’s leading gun control groups quietly lobbied earlier this summer for a New York law that loosens restrictions on where legal gun owners can take their firearms in order to undermine a pending Supreme Court case, records show.
Everytown for Gun Safety and Giffords both lobbied New York lawmakers on Assembly Bill A07752 and Senate Bill S6151 which allowed law-abiding gun owners to legally transport their firearms to new locations like shooting ranges and competitions, according to New York disclosure records. All but one of the legislatures lobbied by the gun control groups voted to loosen the travel restrictions and preempt a New York City ordinance that’s currently the subject of a lawsuit that is being considered by the Supreme Court.
The two gun control groups spent a total of $21,275 between May and June on the lobbyists who influenced the firearms transport bills. Everytown spent an additional $1,275 on lobbyists who influenced the firearms transport bills and other gun-related bills.
Neither Everytown, Giffords, nor a number of the Democrats who were lobbied by the groups would comment on their effort to influence the legislation. The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association (NYSRPA), the gun rights group whose case against the transportation restrictions is currently pending before the Supreme Court, said the groups were trying to undermine the case by advocating for the new transport law.
