John,
Money in politics is bad for our democracy and threatens people’s lives.
Nowhere is that more obvious than when it comes to gun safety.
The NRA and other gun rights groups spend millions on lobbying and political expenditures—in 2021, gun rights groups set an all-time record for spending on lobbying. With dozens of members of Congress having benefited from hundreds of thousands—or even millions—in pro-gun spending throughout their careers, is it any wonder that popular measures like universal background checks are filibustered and stalled in Congress?
Too many representatives are responding to all of that money, choosing to side with the gun lobby over the public.
It’s hard not to think about all of this influence, and the elected officials who bow to it, in light of last week’s events, when 19 students and 2 teachers were killed and 17 others were wounded in a horrifying school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Even days after that shooting, politicians like Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz still spoke to the NRA convention in Houston.
On issues from guns to climate change to health care—money in politics shapes what legislation Congress passes, and even what solutions are considered in the first place. It’s bad for democracy when special interest groups can buy influence, have a seat at the table, and set the debate, while most Americans struggle to be heard.
That’s one reason why campaign finance reform matters. Not only because it’s right on principle, but because a healthy democracy means that our representatives are considering what’s truly best for the country, and what their constituents want—not what special interests groups spending millions want.
What’s more, while we desperately need comprehensive campaign finance reform, groups like the NRA often aren’t even abiding by the laws already in place. From 2008-2013, the NRA told the Federal Election Commission that it spent $11 million on political expenditure—but told the IRS that it spent absolutely nothing on politics in those same years. That’s a clear violation of the law, but despite CREW complaints and ample evidence of violations, it’s unclear whether the IRS investigated the NRA.
It’s crystal clear that we need comprehensive campaign finance reform, better enforcement of our existing laws, and a shift in who our elected officials listen to. That’s what an ethical, accountable government and a strong democracy looks like, and that’s what we’re fighting for every day at CREW.
Thank you,
Noah Bookbinder
President, CREW
