Forbes contributor Frank Miniter published a lengthy column arguing that the gun safety initiatives of Everytown for Gun Safety and the group's founder Michael Bloomberg are “backfiring” without disclosing that he writes for Everytown's primary political opponent, the National Rifle Association.

Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, has said he will spend at least $50 million supporting gun safety initiatives this year, including spending on the 2014 midterm elections.*

Miniter's September 25 column offered myriad attacks on Bloomberg and Everytown. Many of the criticisms are in the form of quotations from thoroughly discredited gun researcher John Lott. (“I can't find a single study from Bloomberg's groups that aren't loaded with errors. They have an anti-gun agenda and will lie to achieve it.”)

Miniter also wrote, “On the pro-gun side most of the money is coming from the grassroots,” and concluded, “Though there are wealthy individuals on the gun-rights side, it's not a stretch to say a few wealthy, out-of-touch billionaires are trying to disarm the people.” (The NRA receives millions of dollars from gun manufacturers and other corporations and according to its latest tax documents operated on more than $250 million in revenue in 2012.)

Miniter also failed to disclose that he is the former executive editor and current field editor of American Hunter, an NRA magazine. Miniter last wrote for the NRA on September 22, contributing a column about deer hunting:

The broadside against Bloomberg and Everytown in Forbes comes just weeks after the NRA announced a campaign to intensify its attacks on the former New York City mayor.

On August 19, the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, the gun group's lobbying arm, launched a campaign “aimed at exposing Michael Bloomberg's anti-freedom agenda. The 'Meet the Real Michael Bloomberg' campaign kicks off with a national television advertisement titled 'Insult'. 'Insult' is the first in a series of ads that will expose Bloomberg's hypocrisy, arrogance and desire to tell the American people how to live their lives.” The ad told viewers, “nobody insults your life like this guy, Michael Bloomberg, billionaire, elitist, hypocrite” and advanced the false notion that Bloomberg backs gun bans.

In the NRA-ILA press release, NRA top lobbyist Chris Cox claimed Bloomberg “has declared war on the NRA and our five million members,” and promised to “expose Bloomberg as an arrogant hypocrite.”

The NRA also launched MeetBloomberg.com, an anti-Bloomberg website that includes topics such as “Bloomberg's Web of Money”:

Miniter has previously advanced the NRA's position without disclosing that he works for the gun group. While promoting his newly released book, which attempts to rewrite the NRA's refusal to participate in a meaningful dialogue on guns following the mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Miniter appeared on NRA News without noting his American Hunter relationship. Miniter also published a December 2012 column for National Review Online that suggested the Obama administration should adopt the NRA's ideas after Sandy Hook, without disclosing his relationship with the gun group.

* This language has been updated for clarity.