An anti-gun organization’s shenanigans of enriching itself by refusing to file necessary reports on joint fundraising solicitations have the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) crying foul.
On April 13, the NSSF filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Giffords PAC, the political fundraising arm of the gun control group Giffords. In the complaint, NSSF alleges Giffords PAC and its allies are skirting the FEC’s joint fundraising rules when they solicit funds for both Giffords PAC and their preferred candidates for elected office.
According to an NSSF news release, Giffords PAC has been using these joint fundraising solicitations to enrich its own anti-gun agenda, while failing to comply with the FEC’s joint fundraising filing and disclaimer requirements. NSSF is urging the FEC to take action against Giffords PAC and the candidates with whom they are jointly fundraising for these violations.
“Giffords PAC has been playing fast and loose with how they are soliciting funds to support themselves and their preferred gun control candidates for elected office,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. “The FEC’s joint fundraising rules are clear, but Giffords ignores them because they believe they are above accountability. Their fundraising misleads consumers by falsely claiming these joint fundraising solicitations are not authorized by any candidates or their campaign committees. Giffords PAC and these candidates are knowingly ignoring mandatory FEC disclosure requirements.”
In the letter to the FEC, which was signed by Keane, NSSF described how Giffords has sent multiple fundraising emails, signed by campaign representatives, that jointly solicit contributions for both Giffords PAC and the campaigns.
“These joint solicitations are a form of joint fundraising, yet Giffords PAC and the campaigns do not appear to be complying with the FEC’s joint fundraising regulations,” Keane wrote. “In addition, regardless of whether the Giffords PAC emails constitute regulated joint fundraising, the emails do not appear to comply with the disclaimer requirements set forth in FCC regulations. There is reasons to believe that Giffords PAC and the campaigns have violated FCC regulations, and I urge the Commission to take action.”
According to the NSSF, Giffords PAC has sent these solicitations that enriched their own anti-gun agenda in coordination with nine anti-gun Democrat politicians. They include U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Sen. Adam Schiff of California, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs.
Keane wrote in the letter that, ultimately, disclaimer requirements inform the public about who is paying for a communication and whether a candidate is standing behind it.
“These are important concepts of campaign finance law and the FEC’s implementing regulations,” Keane concluded. “The FEC should find reason to believe that the Giffords PAC and the campaigns violated these requirements and investigate this matter.”