AL.com | Report: Alabama congressmen received $28,450 in NRA money in past four years

Report: Alabama congressmen received $28,450 in NRA money in past four years
By Kent Faulk | AL.com | March 8, 2013

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - The National Rifle Association has contributed $28,450 to Alabama congressmen since Jan. 1 2009 while the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence gave them none, according to an analysis of federal elections records by the group Maplight.

The NRA contributed $1.45 million to members of the 113th Congress since January 1, 2009, according to Maplight. During that same time, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has contributed $5,868 to members of congress, the group reports.

The NRA gave money to all but two Alabama congressmen - Democrat Rep. Terri Sewell and Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions - during that time, the group reports. Those who received money are: Richard Shelby, $8,450; Spencer Bachus, $5,000; Robert Aderholt, $4,000; Jo Bonner, $4,000; Mike Rogers, $3,000; Martha Roby, $2,000; and Mo Brooks, $2,000.

The $28,450 in NRA money to Alabama congressmen ranked 22 out of 50 states.

Alabama also ranked 21st in the amount of money - $21,960 - state residents gave to the NRA during the past four years, according to the Maplight analysis.

Meanwhile Alabama congressmen received no contributions from the Brady Campaign and state residents contributed no money, according to the Maplight report. Contributions to the Brady Campaign came from only one state and contributions from the campaign went to congressmen in seven states.

MapLight describes itself as a non-profit and nonpartisan research organization that tracks bills and contributions.

"We track the influence of money on politics," said Pamela Behrsin, spokesperson for Maplight. "We don't give opinions about what the data means."

"Is money a factor in gun legislation? We don't have an answer to that," Behrsin said. "There are many factors."

There are limits on how much a candidate can get in contributions.

Maplight noted in its report that the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a meeting Thursday to review four firearm-related bills. The group stated it analyzed campaign contributions as of March 3 from the Federal Elections Commission since 2009 to and from the NRA and the Brady Campaign.

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