Lawsuit alleges Hawley received nearly $1 million in illegal campaign funds from the NRA

WASHINGTON -- A new lawsuit alleges U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley accepted $973,411 in illegal campaign contributions from the National Rifle Association during his 2018 Senate Campaign.

The lawsuit, filed by the Campaign Legal Center on behalf of the gun control advocacy group headed by former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, alleges that the NRA illegally coordinated with Hawley’s campaign by funneling money through the political strategy group Hawley uses to help run his campaigns.

It alleges the NRA spent $35 million since 2014 to support seven candidates named in the complaint — Hawley and Montana Senate candidate Matt Rosendale in 2018; Sen. Ron Johnson and former President Donald Trump in 2016; and Sens. Thom Tillis, Tom Cotton and Cory Gardner in 2014.

“We are suing the NRA to finally hold them accountable for actions that corrupted politicians who were supposed to protect Americans from gun violence, illegally influenced critical elections and undermined our democracy,” said David Pucino, Giffords Law Center Senior Staff Attorney.

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