INSTITUTE INDEX: President Obama takes on gun lobby with executive actions

By Sue Sturgis / January 6, 2016

President Obama wipes away tears as he talks about the 2012 mass shooting of children and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School while announcing executive actions aimed at curbing gun violence. (Image is a still from White House video.)

Date on which President Obama announced a series of executive actions he will take to restrict firearms: 1/5/2016

As of the date of the president's announcement, number of Americans already killed by gun violence in the new year: at least 147

Number of minutes into 2016 that the first fatal shooting took place in the U.S., in Jacksonville, Florida: 15

Under Obama's plan, number of additional personnel the FBI would hire to help process background checks, which would be extended to all commercial firearm sales, closing the gun show loophole: 230

Additional amount Obama's plan would devote to treatment of mental illness, a provision that would need congressional approval: $500 million

How far Obama was into unveiling his plan when the National Rifle Association began attacking it: barely

Amount in contributions received from the NRA by presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who said in response to Obama's plan that the president is "obsessed with undermining the Second Amendment": $4,950

Amount in NRA contributions received by Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX), who in a tweet described Obama's actions as an attack on the Constitution: $4,000

Amount in NRA contributions received by Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL), who in response to Obama's speech tweeted, "New guns laws, shoved down our throats through executive action, won't reduce mass violence in our country": $2,000

Total amount the NRA spent on campaign contributions during the 2014 election cycle alone: $984,152

Amount it spent on lobbying in both 2013 and 2014: $3 million

Amount it spent on outside political contributions during that period, including ads it paid for directly: $28,212,718

Between 1990 and 2016, amount spent by interest groups opposed to gun control: $36 million

In that same period, amount spent by interest groups that support gun control: $2 million

Date on which pro-gun groups announced they would fight Obama's plan through lobbying and legal challenges: 1/5/2016

(Click on figure to go to source.)

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