The bulk of money used to promote Oregon’s gun control Measure 114 came from wealthy out-of-state donors including a couple based in neighboring Washington State, where they earlier supported gun control initiatives, including one being challenged in federal court.
According to MSN.com and Oregon.Live, the top donor is Connie Balmer of Seattle, wife of former Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer, who also owns the Los Angeles Clippers pro-basketball team. She is an alumna of the University of Oregon. She reportedly contributed $750,000 to the campaign.
Next in line is Nick Hanauer, a founder of the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, the Seattle-based gun prohibition lobbying group which supports a ban on so-called “assault weapons” and original capacity magazines. Billionaire Hanauer, according to the report, donated $250,000 to the Measure 114 campaign, as did the Sixteen Thirty Fund, described as a “national progressive group.”
Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund kicked in another $155,000, while the National Education Association donated $125,000.
What is the NEA doing, providing money to a gun control initiative campaign?
According to BearingArms.com, the Giffords gun control group donated $100,000 and the Brady group contributed another $50,000.
Tuesday, the Oregon Firearms Federation sent a message to supporters, thanking those who voted and reminding those who hadn’t yet voted to get their ballots in “and stop the worst gun grab in the country.”
Measure 114 would mandate permitting of Oregon gun owners in order just to purchase a firearm. It would ban so-called “large capacity magazines.” There is a training requirement, which many law enforcement agencies have said they are unprepared to address.
OFF has been financially out-gunned since the campaign began. The MSN report said OFF donated $31,000 to the opposition effort, and three individuals contributed $2,500 apiece. They were identified as Lee Jurasevich, owner of DustBusters, a Eugene-based wildland firefighting contractor; Brian Puziss, a “self-employed Portland property manager” and Hillsboro resident Christopher Lindsay.
This revelation shows the gun prohibition movement is well-funded, and it knows no boundaries.
