Florida: “Astroturf” groups attack lawmakers who support campus carry (+ video)

Anti-gun “astroturf” groups don’t like guns on campus and they’re demanding an apology from two lawmakers who do.  Currently under attack from these fake grassroots groups are Florida Representative Dennis Baxley and Nevada State Assemblywoman Michele Fiore.

In this video Astroturf (fake grassroots organizations) is explained at the University of Nevada by Sharyl Attkisson:

At the top of the list of “astroturf organizations” are groups created and funded anti-gun former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to fight the NRA.  They are “Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America” and “Everytown for Gun Safety.”

sharyl attkisson

Sharyl Attkisson

In a column titled “Top 10 Astroturfers” Sharyl Attkisson writes: 

The whole point of Astroturf is to try to convince you there’s widespread support for or against an agenda when there’s not.

[ … ]

The groups present themselves as grassroots organizations of “mayors, moms survivors and everyday Americans.” They are spearheaded by former New York Mayor and multi-billionaire Michael Bloomberg, and former PR professional and mother Shannon Watts. Last year, they announced a $50 million political campaign to try to counter the efforts of the formidable gun rights lobby.

[ … ]

The results of an informal, non-scientific poll identify groups related to Gun Safety Action Fund, Inc. as top Astroturf efforts. These groups include Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Everytown, Everytown for Gun Safety, Gun Sense, It’’s Time for Gun Sense in America, Gun Sense Voter, I”m a Gun Sense Voter, Moms Take the Hill and Stroller Jam.

Attkinsson lists the following as the top 10 astroturfers:

  1. Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Everytown
  2. Media Matters for America
  3. University of California Hastings Professor Dorit Rubenstein Reiss and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Dr. Paul Offit
  4. “Science” Blogs such as: Skeptic.com, Skepchick.org, Scienceblogs.com (Respectful Insolence), Popsci.com and SkepticalRaptors.com
  5. Mother Jones
  6. Salon.com and Vox.com
  7. White House press briefings and press secretary Josh Earnest
  8. Daily Kos and The Huffington Post
  9. CNN, NBC, New York Times, Politico and Talking Points Memo (TPM)
  10. MSNBC, Slate.com, Los Angeles Times and Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times, MSNBC and Jon Stewart.
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