One day after Donald Trump effectively called for “second amendment people” to take violent action against Hillary Clinton, the National Rifle Association — which promptly came to Trump’s defense in the aftermath of his inflammatory comments — is launching a new $3 million ad campaign attacking Clinton.
It’s no surprise that the NRA would intervene to give Trump a boost in the presidential race, because that’s what the organization is all about: bankrolling candidates like Trump, who they know will in return bolster the $13.5 billion-a-year gun industry’s hardline opposition to commonsense measures to curb gun violence.
The truth is the NRA doesn’t even represent the interests of America’s gun owners; it’s primary objective is advancing the gun manufacturing industry’s agenda. Look at the numbers:
- 49% of individuals living in gun-owning households support a ban on assault-style weapons; but the NRA opposes any of such bans whatsoever.
- 62% of gun owners said the “NRA does not represent” their thinking “when it comes to background checks.”
That the NRA would come to Trump’s rescue is no surprise. The organization endorsed Trump early on because it’s gun industry bankrollers are confident that Trump will embrace their accept their quid pro quo offer and take on their hardline opposition to any commonsense measures to curb gun violence.
Donald Trump needs money and he’s happy to do the NRA’s bidding to get it.
Read Bridge Project’s NRA report, “Marketing Death: How The Gun Industry Uses The NRA To Boost Profits And Undermine Public Safety,” here.