How much corporate money to NRA?

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

Does anyone have any idea of what % of the NRA's contributions come from corporate donors as opposed to individual members? I always thought the individual members contributed the lion's share. This piece from the AP makes it appear that the NRA is funded by the gun manufacturers.


http://www.newsday.com/news/politic...38,print.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

Kerry Asks FEC to Block NRA Channel

By SHARON THEIMER
Associated Press Writer

December 9, 2003, 6:01 PM EST

WASHINGTON -- Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry doesn't want to tune in to a National Rifle Association channel anytime soon.

The Massachusetts senator sent Federal Election Commission Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub a letter Tuesday asking the commission to block any attempt by the NRA to get a media exemption to campaign finance rules.

The gun-rights lobby is considering acquiring a television or radio outlet and seeking the same exemption from campaign finance rules that news organizations have. If the group won a media exemption, it would be free to say whatever it wanted about candidates at any time and spend unlimited amounts doing so.

"We urge you to prevent the NRA from hijacking America's airwaves with the gun lobby's money," Kerry's letter said. "If the NRA has something to say, it can play by the rules, just like the millions of people in America who do every day."

The NRA, financed in part with corporate money, is banned by the campaign finance law from running ads identifying federal candidates close to elections in states where they are on the ballot. It contends the rules violate free-speech rights, and is among several groups asking the Supreme Court to strike them down.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

The gun manufacturers have their own lobby - the NSSF. I know that they still ocassionally donate to the NRA; but I imagine that the majority of corporate financing comes from other NRA-related corporations that are organized under different charters.

 

[Kim]

I think the NRA is incorporated itself.(like some individuals in business are and many small businesses are). If you notice your donations to the NRA are not tax deductable ie they are not a non-profit organization under tax law. I'm not sure if they take money from gun manufactures directly. I think if they do it goes for their education programs not lobbying. I may be wrong though. Maybe someone else knows.