NRA, Oil and Gas Keep Knight Afloat
Steve “I’ll Drop Your Ass” Knight’s rough year was capped off with another rough fundraising total. The vulnerable congressman raised just $28,500 from individuals and the rest of his weak total came from special interests.
Of his special interest donations, a notable one came from the NRA, which must have been pleased that Knight voted 11 times to block a bill that would close a loophole allowing suspected terrorists on the FBI’s Terror Watchlist to purchase weapons.
And once again, Knight has put his donors before the safety of his constituents by accepting thousands of dollars from oil and gas companies. The Porter Ranch gas well leak, which has been described as the worst environmental disaster since the BP oil spill, is in Knight’s district. Knight was skewered by the Los Angeles Daily News for his silence while his constituents suffered.
And let’s not forget that Knight’s failures extend beyond fundraising. Knight stayed in hotels improperly on the taxpayer’s dime, failed to disclose ethics information, voted to keep the Confederate Battle Flag flying, and physically threatened a resident.
Knight’s missteps were featured in an online video ad “Knightmare” last fall.
“Steve Knight is only keeping his weak operation afloat by putting his special interest donors before the safety of his constituents,” said Barb Solish of the DCCC. “While Knight took donations from the NRA and big oil and gas companies, he voted to let suspected terrorists keep purchasing guns and virtually ignored the environmental disaster in his district.”