Ultra-conservative gun group outspends NRA on lobbying

By Fredreka Schouten, USA TODAY | USATODAY

WASHINGTON — Gun rights groups pumped $3.8 million in federal lobbying this year — a 122% spike in spending over the final months of 2012 — as they fought to roll back gun-control measures advocated by President Obama and Democrats in Congress in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy, a new analysis shows.

Gun-control groups also increased their lobbying activity dramatically, but their spending, totaling nearly $276,000 in the first quarter of 2013, represents a tiny fraction of what gun rights groups are investing in the legislative fight, according to the tally by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks political money.

A newcomer by federal lobbying — the National Association for Gun Rights or NAGR — spent nearly $1.9 million during the first three months of the year — exceeding the $700,000 reported by powerful National Rifle Association.

NAGR, which casts itself as the conservative alternative to the NRA on Second Amendment issues, added its first federal lobbyist this year, federal records show. The group drew attention recently for running ads targeting Republicans, including House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a Tea Party favorite who is weighing a 2016 presidential bid, has helped NAGR raise money, angering Republicans targeted by the group's attack ads.

The Dec. 14 massacre in Newtown left 20 children and six adults dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School and prompted Obama and some lawmakers to push a slew of gun-control measures, including an expansion of background checks on gun purchases and a renewal of the assault-weapons ban, which expired in 2004. The Senate recently blocked both measures, but supporters have vowed to try again.

The analysis comes as the NRA prepares to hold its annual meeting in Houston this weekend: its first large gathering since the Newtown shootings.

The center's overall look at lobbying shows many industries trimmed their spending. Total expenditures for the first quarter of 2013 fell to $796 million, down from $825 million during the last three months of 2012.