NRA breaks 15-year fundraising record after school shooting

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The National Rifle Association, the most prominent pro-gun lobby in the United States, has broken a 15-year record for monthly fundraising in the wake of the Parkland school shooting.

Federal Elections Commission (FEC) filings show that the political arm of the gun lobby raised 2.4 million US dollars in March, the first full month of fundraising since the Parkland shooting, 1.5 million US dollars more than was donated in the same period in 2017.

The FEC filing shows that most of the donations – 1.9 million of the 2.4 million US dollars – came from donors who gave less than 200 US dollars, McClatchy reported.

Seventeen people were shot dead and 17 more wounded at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on February 14. The massacre sparked nationwide demonstrations in favor of stricter gun control.

Read more: Why is gun control so difficult in the US?

The NRA plays a powerful role in the US political system, directly funding candidates, indirectly supporting their campaigns, and spending significantly on separate lobbying efforts.

The Miami Herald reported that Florida Senator Marco Rubio received just 9,900 US dollars in direct contributions from the NRA for his successful 2016 Senate run, but his campaign benefited from 3.3 million US dollars in outside spending from the gun lobby.

The NRA's annual convention will be held in Dallas, Texas on May 3-6. The Dallas Morning News reported on Tuesday that Vice President Mike Pence will be the keynote speaker at the event, at which attendees will be allowed to carry firearms in the convention center.

President Donald Trump was the main speaker at the 2017 event. The NRA contributed 11.4 million US dollars to Trump's presidential campaign and paid for 19 million US dollars in negative advertising against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.