See How Much Cash NJ's Politicians Get From Pro-Gun Lobby

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

In New Jersey, you may be surprised to see who's leading the way among those getting the most money from the gun-rights lobbyists. (see below).

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

In the period researched by Patch – from 1989 through Feb. 1, 2018 – the groups fighting gun restrictions donated $13,195,914 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.

Groups that promote gun rights include the NRA, Gun Owners of America, Safari Club and the National Association of Gun Rights

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 the mass shooting at the eponymous Connecticut elementary school, and Giffords PAC was formed by Gabrielle 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 it has 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.

Another prominent group, Everytown for Gun Safety, was formed by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

So, how much money makes its way to your representative or senator? 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 across the spectrum and checked against Federal Election Commission filings.
3. The CRP says 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.

So, who got how much?

In New Jersey, which has some of the strictest gun-control measures in the nation, gun-control groups have actually slightly outspent gun-rights groups, $21,120 to $19,800

Gun-rights groups typically give only to Republicans in New Jersey, and two of the people who got the most are retiring after this year.

The single biggest recipient of gun-rights group donations is Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-Morris, who is retiring. He got $10,400. Rep. Frank Lobiondo, R-Cape May, who also is retiring, received the next highest: $6,400.

Curiously enough, Rep. Leonard Lance, R-Union, is the only one who received money from both pro-gun and gun-control groups. He got $1,000 from the gun-rights lobby and $2,000 from gun-control lobby.

Another Republican, Rep. Chris Smith, who mostly represents Mercer and Monmouth counties, only received money from gun-control groups: $1,000.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-Sussex and Bergen, received the most from gun control groups: $7,148.

Below you will see a full breakdown of how much each representative has received from each side of the gun debate:

Read more: New Jersey Gun Advocates: More Laws Won't Stop School Shootings