Lobbying disclosures show that a national group founded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pumped nearly $32,000 into an advertising campaign in New Mexico for legislation to expand criminal background checks of gun buyers.
The ad campaign by Mayors Against Illegal Guns Action Fund was the most costly lobbying effort in this year's legislative session, according to a computer-assisted analysis of lobbying disclosure reports by The Associated Press.
The gun background check legislation passed the House but died in the Senate.
Overall, lobbyists and their clients spent about $512,000 from January through late April. Most of that went for meals, drinks, gifts, entertainment and receptions for lawmakers and other state officials, but also included advertising and phone bank operations.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.