Gun money in the Florida Legislature
A gun company looking for a favor from the Florida Legislature gave more than $500,000 to at least three dozen state politicians just before the start of the 2026 session.
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The Florida House of Representatives is expected to vote Thursday on legislation to shield Sig Sauer, one of the world’s largest gun manufacturers, from legal liability over a popular company-made pistol that can allegedly fire without anyone pulling the trigger.
The bill — House Bill 1551 — has advanced through Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature this session despite opposition from police officers, who have been among the victims of alleged “ghost firings” involving Sig Sauer’s P320 pistol.
But Sig Sauer, which has been hit with multimillion-dollar judgments in at least two states, has been lobbying hard for the legal shield in Florida.
And the company has dropped an enormous amount of money on the state Capitol.
A new review by Seeking Rents shows that Sig Sauer donated more than $500,000 to Florida politicians in the days leading up to the start of this year’s legislative session.
The company gave $50,000 to Rep. Wyman Duggan, the Jacksonville Republican who is sponsoring House Bill 1551. It gave another $50,000 to Sen. Jay Trumbull, a Panama City Republican who is carrying the companion legislation on the other side of the state Capitol.
Sig Sauer also gave $50,000 apiece to the Florida Legislature’s two presiding officers: House Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami) and Senate President Ben Abritton (R-Wauchula).
But that’s not nearly all of it. The company gave money to at least 29 other Republican lawmakers — in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 — with most of that cash deposited the day before session began.
So before Thursday’s House vote, here’s the list of Florida leaders who have taken Sig Sauer’s money:
Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Wauchula): $50,000 via Friends of Ben Albritton
Rep. Wyman Duggan (R-Jacksonville): $50,000 via Citizens for Building Florida’s Future
House Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami): $50,000 via Conservatives for a Better Florida
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson: $50,000 via Friends of Wilton Simpson
Sen. Jay Trumbull (R-Panama City): $50,000 via Panhandle Prosperity
Attorney General James Uthmeier: $50,000 via Friends of James Uthmeier
Rep. Jennifer Canady (R-Lakeland): $25,000 via Friends of Jennifer Canady
Sen. Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach): $25,000 via Living Life with Purpose
Rep. Lawrence McClure (R-Dover): $25,000 via Conservative Florida
Rep. Robert “Chuck” Brannan (R-Macclenny): $10,000 via Palm and Pine PC
Rep. James Buchanan (R-Sarasota): $10,000 via Buchanan for Florida
Rep. Sam Greco (R-St. Augustine): $10,000 via First Coast Conservative Coalition
Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers): $10,000 via Friends of Jonathan Martin
Rep. Mike Redondo (R-Miami): $10,000 for Right Path for Florida
Rep. Jason Shoaf (R-Port St. Joe): $10,000 via Protect Our Florida Values
Rep. Josie Tomkow (R-Polk City): $10,000 via Friends of Josie Tomkow
Sen. Clay Yarborough (R-Jacksonville): $10,000 via Floridians for Conservative Values
Rep. Adam Anderson (R-Palm Harbor): $5,000 via Floridians for Economic Prosperity
Rep. Jessica Baker (R-Jacksonville): $5,000 via Conservative Majority Florida
Rep. David Borrero (R-Hialeah): $5,000 via Floridians for Prosperity
Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island): $5,000 via Women Building the Future
Sen. Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford): $5,000 via Citizens for Solutions
Sen. Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills): $5,000 via Defending Conservatism and Democracy
Sen. Colleen Burton (R-Lakeland): $5,000 via Friends of Colleen Burton
Sen. Nick DiCeglie (R-Indian Rocks beach): $5,000 via Friends of Nick DiCeglie
Sen. Don Gaetz (R-Niceville): $5,000 via The Partnership for an Affordable Florida
Rep. Mike Giallombardo (R-Cape Coral): $5,000 via Friends of Mike Giallombardo
Sen. Erin Grall (R-Vero Beach): $5,000 via Friends of Erin Grall
Rep. Patt Maney (R-Shalimar): $5,000 via Service and Honor
Rep. Fiona McFarland (R-Sarasota): $5,000 via Sarasota Strong
Rep. Lauren Melo (R-Naples): $5,000 via Friends of Lauren Melo
Rep. Vanessa Oliver (R-Punta Gorda): $5,000 via Friends of Vanessa Oliver
Sen. Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee): $5,000 via Friends of Corey Simon
Rep. John Snyder (R-Stuart): $5,000 via John Snyder for Florida
Sen. Keith Truenow (R-Eustis): $5,000 via Growing Florida’s Leadership
Rep. Meg Weinberger (R-Palm Beach Gardens): $5,000 via Friends of Megan Weinberger
Rep. Taylor Yarkosky (R-Monteverde): $5,000 via Lake County Conservatives
Note: Sig Sauer has almost certainly made more contributions than just the 37 on this list (which total $555,000).
Seeking Rents found these by combing through the individual websites that Florida lawmakers are required to set up when they solicit contributions through political committees, which are fundraising vehicles legislators use to sidestep traditional contribution limits and accept donations of any size.
But not every lawmaker is diligent about disclosing their political committee donors in real time. And the contributions above also do not include any money Sig Sauer may have given directly to the political parties or to caucus committees controlled by legislative leadership. Any such contributions won’t be reported until April.




If the Democratic party were smart (yeah, I know...) they would be planning to run billboards and ads exposing these legalized bribes from Sig and at least naming the GOP hacks who took the biggest sums. It wouldn't hurt to accompany the ad with a statement like "Is it any wonder why guns are STILL a leading cause of death in our state and Florida Republicans refuse to do anything to protect us?"...
Not a D on the list.
Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teenagers: the first age group suffers from unintentional actions; the latter from intentionality and suicides.
About half of guns confiscated and traced by law enforcement to criminal activity are stolen from homes or autos. Once the Sigs get out on the street and into homes, the carnage Trump talked about will actually take place.
The fact that the long list of MAGAs took the money is no surprise -- their ethics are left at home or church, including Clay Yarborough. I am disappointed that Jennifer Bradley took the money from Sig. She had seemed to have a conscience. But, I guess I was wrong.