by The gun control industry and their assorted organizations have long targeted pro-rights firearms-related organizations and their political activities on behalf of pro-rights candidates. For example, the Cult of Personality known as Giffords filed a complaint in 2019 with the Federal Elections Commission against the NRA alleging illegal campaign coordination and excessive contributions. They later sued the NRA directly in a case that is still pending. That case was filed in 2025 and they were represented by the Campaign Legal Center Action. If the board and their activities are any indication, they are your typical leftist group that targets conservatives and non-RINO Republicans despite the claim of being non-partisan.
Thus, it was with great pleasure that I read today that the National Shooting Sports Foundation has filed a complaint against Giffords PAC with the Federal Elections Commission. Their complaint alleges Giffords PAC and their allies have been skirting the FEC’s joint fundraising rules. The campaigns involved are all anti-rights Democrats including U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Gov. Roy Cooper (D-N.C.) and Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-Ariz.).
From the NSSF press release:
“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’s 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.”
Giffords PAC sent fundraising emails in partnership with preferred federal and gubernatorial candidates for office that ask potential donors to “split a donation between my campaign and Giffords PAC…” yet it has failed to properly follow the required FEC joint fundraising procedures. FEC regulations require the appointment of a joint fundraising representative or formation of a joint fundraising committee with the associated campaigns, yet Giffords PAC’s most recent FEC Statement of Organization does not reflect its involvement in any joint fundraising efforts.
Further, these emails soliciting donations stated they were “Paid For By Giffords PAC” and “not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.” However, the joint fundraising emails are obviously authorized by candidates. In fact, the emails are signed by candidates and jointly solicit contributions for the campaigns. Those email solicitations sent donors to an ActBlue website that asked donors to support candidates and Giffords antigun agenda. FEC regulations require that mass mailings of 500 or more substantially similar communications include appropriate disclosures, however Giffords PAC has not included appropriate joint fundraising disclosures in either their emails or ActBlue contribution pages, and falsely claim that these communications are not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
Turnabout is fair play. I’m pleased to see the pro-rights side finally taking action about the dubious activities of the gun control industry and their allies.
You can read the full complaint here. It does give an item by item accounting of their illegal joint fundraising activities.
As a final aside, I remember when Mark Kelly was running for the US Senate. Out of the blue I started getting campaign solicitations asking for donations for his campaign. Strangely enough they were all sent to me using a nickname I never use but had used to sign up on the Giffords website. I’m sure there was no coordination between the organization named for Kelly’s wife of which he was a co-founder and his campaign (wink-wink). Right.