(Originally published by Newsweek on September 12, 2025.)

A high school student recently opened fire in a high school cafeteria near Denver. At nearly the same time in nearby Utah, conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was brutally murdered on a college campus in front of a crowd of students. Two weeks ago, a shooter entered a school in Minneapolis, shooting 17 children and killing two. Every time a child or young person is killed in a school shooting, Americans demand answers. They hold vigils, make posters, and call on their representatives to act. But there’s another reaction, one rarely seen by most: Behind the scenes, the gun lobby quietly reaches for its checkbook.

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