Mike Bloomberg Might Spend Even More Than $50 Million On His New Gun-Control Group
In a press call on Wednesday, Everytown For Gun Safety President John Feinblatt told Business Insider that Bloomberg could put even more of his money into the organization.
"The mayor has always said that he will spend what needs to be spent to make Americans safer," Feinblatt said.
These figures put the group in a position to outspend the National Rifle Association, which put $32 billion into its political efforts in 2012.
At its core, Everytown for Gun Safety will unite two other Bloomberg-backed gun control groups; Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. On Wednesday's press call, Feinblatt, a longtime policy advisor to Bloomberg, noted it was one year ago this week that a bipartisan compromise that would have expanded background checks was defeated in the Senate. Feinblatt said Everytown for Gun Safety would keep pushing for federal legislation, but would also focus on other areas that he described as having been "fields of play formerly occupied almost solely by the gun lobby."
"Everytown will continue to push for change in Washington, but we'll also move beyond Congress and bring the fight for commonsense gun policies to state capitals, to corporate boards, and to state and federal elections," said Feinblatt.
While gun control advocates have been unsuccessful in Congress, Feinblatt argued the movement has already made progress at the state level.
"If you look at the past year, significant things have happened in the states," he said. "We now have background check legislation in 16 states plus the District of Columbia and we have evidence that it works."
Feinblatt also pointed out Bloomberg isn't the group's only deep-pocketed financial backer. He said Warren Buffett will be on Everytown's advisory board and the group will be "working with" former Morgan Stanley CEO John Mack and Huffington Post founder Kenneth Lerer. Additionally, Feinblatt noted Everytown has substantial grassroots support.
"I think it's important to note that, yeah, Michael Bloomerg is a major donor, but we also have 34,000 other donors across the country, all of whom are supporting our efforts," said Feinblatt. "As of today, I expect that 34,000 to increase markedly."
And while Washington won't necessarily be Everytown's main focus, Feinblatt said Bloomberg would be making his presence felt in the 2014 elections.
"Mayor Bloomberg couldn't be clearer that he is going to hold people accountable if they vote against gun safety and he's going to reward those people who don't vote to keep Americans safer," he said.
Disclosure: Ken Lerer is an investor in Business Insider through Lerer Ventures.