Throwback: NRA Kavanaugh Lobbying

Because of the upcoming SCOTUS battle, I was curious about lobbying activity during Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation. The nomination was highly controversial due to sexual assault allegations. I wondered if organizations would be hesitant to formally support someone in the midst of such controversy.

Prior to the accusations, the NRA planned to spend $1 mm to support Kavanaugh. The Hill article writes:

 The NRA released its first ad in the campaign, which touts Kavanaugh as the potential tie-breaking vote on gun rights.

“Four liberal justices oppose your right to self-defense. Four justices support your right to self-defense,” the narrator in the ad states. 

“President Trump chose Brett Kavanaugh to break the tie. Your right to self-defense depends on this vote,” the narrator warns.

 USA Today reported that regional ads will target Democratic Sens. Doug Jones (Ala.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.). All represent states President Trump won in 2016, and all but Jones are up for reelection in November.

Ads will also air in Alaska, targeting Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), who is considered one of two Republicans who may oppose Kavanaugh. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is the other.

(Sen. Collins and Sen. Murkowski just announced their opposition to filling RBG's seat before the election.) 

An NRA spokeswoman went on Fox and Friends after the allegations became public and tried to delegitimize them:

Loesch begun her interview by calling into question the veracity of the three accusers' claims, saying "every person that comes forward, it gets flimsier and flimsier."

. . .

"As a women, and as a mother of sons, I am horrified by where this is leading for boys in our country," she said.

"Boys are considered guilty until proven innocent," Loesch added later. "Now granted, there are some predatory men out there who have done terrible things to women, but there are also some bad women who have done some horrible things to men."

Loesch brought up several examples of false accusations, including rape claims lodged against former NFL players Colin Kaepernick and Brian Banks, saying that we should not find people guilty just because they are men.