Miami Herald by Samantha Gross
May 30, 2019
TALLAHASSEE
Democratic state lawmakers are calling for an investigation into whether prominent National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer violated state law by failing to disclose payments from her organization while lobbying on NRA priorities like banning the sale of bump stocks and raising the age to buy a rifle from 18 to 21.
Democrats Sen. Perry Thurston of Fort Lauderdale and Rep. Anna Eskamani of Orlando filed complaints Thursday with the state and oversight committees in the Senate and House to investigate Hammer.
Hammer, who is registered to lobby for the NRA and its Florida affiliate, Unified Sportsmen of Florida, did not respond to requests for comment.
According to Florida law, non-employee lobbyists for both legislative and executive branches are required to register and disclose their total compensation. Hammer is not an in-house lobbyist for the NRA, and therefore is required under law to submit a compensation report for each quarter during which she was registered to lobby.