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 Safari Club International said it had suspended member Walter
Palmer and called for an inquiry into the death of a lion known as
Cecil. The big cat's killing has triggered an international furor
and an investigation by U.S. wildlife authorities.
The Arizona-based club, which advocates for hunters' rights, has
raised funds over the years in support mostly of Republicans,
according to the website of the Center for Responsive Politics, a
campaign finance watchdog group.
It has sought to influence Congress as lawmakers in recent years
have debated bills related to firearms restrictions and keeping
federal lands open to hunting, fishing and recreational shooting.
In the 2014 election cycle, Safari Club International made $694,640
in political contributions, according to the center's website.
Of that total, $451,061 went to scores of federal candidates and
$243,579 went to the Hunter Defense Fund, a political action
committee.
 That PAC was active in the Colorado Senate race, spending $85,495 in
support of Republican Cory Gardner and $64,504 against the man
Gardner unseated, Democratic Senator Mark Udall.
McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, got $8,000 in campaign
contributions from the club, while Boehner got $5,000, the center
said.
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana got $10,000; Senator Steve Daines
of Montana, $9,998; Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, $8,000;
and Representative Ken Calvert of California and Senator Cory
Gardner of Colorado, got $7,000 each, the center said.
There was no immediate comment from any of the lawmakers about the
contributions, and Safari Club International's spokesman did not
return a phone call.
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In a statement about the killing of the lion, Safari Club
International said it "condemns unlawful and unethical hunting
practices."
It said it supports "only legal hunting practices and those who
comply with all applicable hunting rules and regulations." The club
says it has 47,000 members worldwide.
The club's website says it is "the only pro-hunting organization
with an office in Washington, D.C., that has full-time policy
experts, in-house legal counsel, and certified wildlife biologists
on staff dedicated to the protection of hunting for SCI members and
hunters everywhere."
It calls it a “legislative victory” that gun control bills failed in
the Senate two years ago.
Palmer has admitted killing Cecil the lion but has said he thought
the hunt he was on was legal. Efforts to reach him have been
unsuccessful.
The killing of Cecil the lion is being investigated by the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service to determine whether it was part of a
conspiracy to violate U.S. laws against illegal wildlife trading, a
source close to the case told Reuters on Thursday.
(Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Ken Wills)
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