Americans woke up on Monday morning to learn of yet another horrific act of gun violence in the United States—this time a mass shooting in Las Vegas that left at least 58 people dead and more than 500 injured. But it seems unlikely that the politicians in a position to actually change our gun laws will actually do something about it, because they never do.
So, in lieu of any substantive gun control, what do America’s senators and congresspeople have to offer? That tried and true chestnut of noncommittal national mourning: “Thoughts and prayers.” And just as in the past, those thoughts and prayers seem to have been paid for in part by the National Rifle Association, whose campaign donations and scare-mongering have effectively blocked any life-saving legislation which might prevent a person from getting their hands on a fully automatic machine gun they can then use to pump bullets into dozens of innocent people.
So who is sending their NRA-sponsored well wishes to the victims of the Las Vegas massacre today? Let’s take a look, with a little help from the campaign contribution database at opensecrets.org.
Missouri Republican Senator Roy Blunt received $11,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Virginia Congresswoman Barbara Comstock received $10,400 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
North Carolina Senator Richard Burr received $9,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Colorado Congressman Mike Coffman received $9,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley received $9,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Texas Congressman Will Hurd received $9,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
New York Congressman John Katko received $9,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul received $9,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Maine Congressman Bruce Poliquin received $9,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Ohio Senator Rob Portman received $9,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio received $9,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
New York Congressman Lee Zeldin received $9,900 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
North Dakota Senator John Hoeven received $8,450 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Iowa Congressman Rod Blum received $7,450 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Virginia Congressman Bob Goodlatte received $7,450 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson received $7,450 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Alaska Congressman Don Young received $6,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Arizona Congresswoman Martha McSally received $6,500 from the NRA during the last election cycle.
Arkansas Senator John Boozman received $5,950 from the NRA during the last election cycle.
Texas Congressman John Culberson received $5,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
New York Congressman John Faso received $5,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Wisconsin Congressman and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan received $5,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Pennsylvania Congressman Bill Shuster received $5,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Pennsylvania Congressman Lloyd Smucker received $5,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
New York Congresswoman Claudia Tenney received $5,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole received $5,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Oklahoma Senator James Lankford received $5,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
South Dakota Senator John Thune received $5,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Michigan Congressman Jack Bergman received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Idaho Senator Mike Crapo received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Wisconsin Congressman Mike Gallagher received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
North Carolina Congressman Richard Hudson received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Louisiana Senator John Kennedy received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Florida Congressman Brian Mast received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Oklahoma Congressman Markwayne Mullin received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise, himself the victim of a mass shooting, received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Alabama Senator Richard Shelby received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Texas Congressman Lamar Smith received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Iowa Congressman David Young received $4,950 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
California Congressman Ken Calvert received $4,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski received $4,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Texas Congressman Pete Olson received $4,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott received $4,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Pennsylvania Congressman Charlie Dent received $4,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Georgia Congressman Barry Loudermilk received $4,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
North Carolina Congressman Patrick McHenry received $4,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Michigan Congressman Tim Walberg received $4,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt received $3,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson received $3,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Ohio Congressman Dave Joyce received $3,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Minnesota Congressman Jason Lewis received $3,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Texas Congressman Michael McCaul received $3,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Virginia Congressman Scott Taylor received $3,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Colorado Congressman Scott Tipton received $3,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
California Congressman David Valadao received $3,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
North Carolina Congressman Ted Budd received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Ohio Congressman Steve Chabot received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
California Congressman Paul Cook received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
South Carolina Congressman Jeff Duncan received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Georgia Congressman Drew Ferguson received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Georgia Congressman Tom Graves received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
California Congressman Duncan Hunter recycled the well-wishes of Speaker Paul Ryan, and received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
West Virginia Congressman Evan Jenkins received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Ohio Congressman Bill Johnson received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
California Congressman Steve Knight received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Illinois Congressman Darin LaHood received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Ohio Congressman Bob Latta received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Utah Congresswoman Mia Love received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Washington Congressman Dan Newhouse received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Minnesota Congressman Erik Paulsen recieven $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
New York Congressman Tom Reed received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Utah Congressman Chris Stewart received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Ohio Congressman Pat Tiberi received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorski received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Ohio Congressman Brad Wenstrup received $3,000 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Tennessee Congresswoman Diane Black received $2,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Tennessee Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn received $2,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
Texas Congressman John Carter received $2,500 from the NRA during the 2016 election cycle.
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