The NRA’s political action committee had an explosive month of fundraising in September after Democratic 2020 presidential candidates openly backed confiscating legally-owned firearms, according to Federal Election Commission documents.
The PAC raised $1.3 million in September, a $400,000 increase over previous month’s fundraising total. Donations of under $200 accounted for $981,277 of the total, the Washington Free Beacon noted.
Candidate Beto O’Rourke set off a firestorm in September after vowing to confiscate legally-owned semi-automatic rifles in an effort to prevent mass shootings.
“Hell, yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47. We’re not going to allow it to be used against a fellow American anymore,” O’Rourke said during the third Democratic primary debate.
Before O’Rourke’s comments, the NRA’s PAC was raising roughly $4,627 per day. After the comments, however, the PAC brought in $15,344 per day.
The PAC currently has $10 million in total, more than three times what O’Rourke possess in his campaign fund and ahead of Joe Biden’s savings as well.
On October 16, O’Rourke said on MSNBC that gun owners who refused to comply with his proposed mandatory gun buyback program would get a visit from local law enforcement.
“I think just as in any law that is not followed or flagrantly abused there have to be consequences or else there is no respect for the law,” said O’Rourke. “So in that case I think there would be a visit by law enforcement to recover that firearm and make sure that it is purchased, bought back, so that it cannot be potentially used against somebody else.
Democratic senators Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey have also voiced support for mandatory buybacks as part of their respective presidential campaign platforms. Former vice president Joe Biden’s proposed gun policies include a voluntary buyback option with a ban on future assault weapons sales.