Michigan Lawmakers Reap Money In Gun Debate

With debates over gun rights once again heating up, Patch went through financial filings to see how much money each member of the Michigan congressional delegation takes in from groups trying to influence their votes.

The groups that oppose nearly any form of gun restrictions, led by the NRA, spend far more money than groups that want tightened controls on guns. The NRA side of the debate has also wielded far more power.

From 1989 through Feb. 1, 2018, data shows the groups fighting gun restrictions donated $13.2 million to the 531 current members of the United States Congress (there are four vacancies in the House of Representatives) while the other side donated $637,558.

Sandy Hook Promise and Giffords PAC are perhaps the most notable groups trying to restrict who can get what guns and how.

Sandy Hook was formed after Newtown and Giffords PAC was formed by Gabby Giffords, the former Representative from Arizona who survived an assassination attempt. Six people killed and 12 others were injured. Giffords' group is the most active of those groups in donating to candidates but they have only been around since December 2012 when Giffords and her husband announced it in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre.

Sandy Hook Promise was formed around the same time.The other prominent group, Everytown for Gun Safety, was formed by Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York.

One of Michigan's senators, Democrat Debbie Stabenow, is one of a very few politicians that took money from both sides of the debate. Records show that Stabenow took $2,000 from gun rights groups and another $16,450 from gun control advocates. Meanwhile, Michigan's other U.S. Senator, Gary Peters, a Democrat, did not take money from either side.

A few of her higher profile colleagues – and former presidential candidates – did the same. Records show that Sens. John McCain, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz also took money from both sides of the gun debate. McCain of Arizona took $618,113 from gun proponents and another $8,300 from gun control advocates; and Ted Cruz of Texas took $460,367 from gun rights groups and another $2,566 from gun control advocates. Rubio, of Florida, who last week took heat from kids during a town hall meeting after the Florida school shooting, took $244,019 from gun proponents and another $3,950 from gun control advocates.

So, how much money makes its way to the rest of our representatives or senators in Michigan? Take a look, keeping in mind a couple of things:

1. The numbers are cumulative from 1989 through February 1, 2018. They totals include only the money received by the person in their current office. For instance, several senators started out as members of the House of Representatives. The chart below only takes into account what they have received as a senator.

2. The numbers presented here are based on analysis performed by the Center for Responsive Politics – a non-partisan group that tracks money in politics and is relied on by media outlets up and down the spectrum and checked against FEC filings.

3. CRP says that the numbers are based on donors – individuals, organizations, and political actions committees – who gave $200 or more to specific candidates. The money does not include indirect contributions to third-party groups that might be supporting a candidate.

• John Bergman, a Republican from Watersmeet, $11,400 from gun rights groups, $0 from gun control groups
• Bill Huizenga, a Republican from Zeeland, $30,250 from gun rights groups, $0 from gun control groups
• Justin Amash, a Republican from Cascade Township, $17,046 from gun rights groups, $0 from gun control groups
• John Moolenaar, a Republican from Midland, $5,000 from gun rights groups, $0 from gun control groups
• Dan Kildee, a Democrat from Flint Township, $0 from either side
• Fred Upton, a Republican from St. Joseph, $15,500 from gun rights groups, $0 from gun control groups
• Tim Walberg, a Republican from Tipton, $67,935 from gun rights groups, $0 from gun control groups
• Mike Bishop, a Republican from Rochester Hills, $7,000 from gun rights groups, $0 from gun control groups
• Sander Levin, a Democrat from Royal Oak, $0 from gun rights groups, $6,838 from gun control groups
• Paul Mitchell, a Republican from Dryden Township, $4,000 from gun rights groups, $0 from gun control groups
• Dave Trott, a Republican from Birmingham, $7,100 from gun rights groups, $0 from gun control groups
• Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Dearborn, $0 from either side
• Brenda Lawrence, a Democrat from Southfield, $0 from either side

Reporting by Patch's Colin Miner. Image via Shutterstock