The stakes continue to rise as money flows into both sides of the Colorado recall fight. On August 27, Breitbart News reported that NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg contributed $350,000 to the 527 group helping state senators John Morse (D-Colorado Springs) and Angela Giron (D-Pueblo) fight recall efforts.
Subsequently, The Republic reports that the NRA gave $250,000 in support of the recall effort.
This brings NRA contributions to $361,700 so far. It also means one of the biggest proponents of gun control–Bloomberg–is in a head-to-head battle with the preeminent defender of 2nd Amendment rights–the NRA.
Bloomberg has plenty of wealthy gun control proponents giving money to fight the recalls as well. Billionaire Eli Broad gave $250,000, and “Miami philanthropist Barbara Stiefel…gave $20,000.” These individual donations are joined by groups like Conservation Colorado, which gave $75,000 to fight the recalls.
On September 2, The New York Times reported that in total, both sides have spent approximately $2 million in the recall battle.
But Republican strategist Kurt Bardella says the money ought not blind observers to the grassroots passion driving the recall effort. He told Breitbart News:
The fact that until now, Colorado has never had a recall election underscores a fundamental grassroots/populist element that no outside money can penetrate. Something this rare and historic only happens when there is a real emotional connection between the issue and the community. That emotion has been driving this recall from the ground up and that’s something you simply can’t measure or quantify in dollars.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins.
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