The Newtown Action Alliance is a left-of-center gun control advocacy group that was formed following the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School spree shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. It advocates stricter gun control legislation at the state and federal levels, participates in gun control coalitions and events, and endorses Democratic candidates who support its gun control agenda. ¹

Background

The Newtown Action Alliance is a left-of-center issue advocacy organization that advocates stricter gun control legislation at the local, state, and federal levels. It was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School spree shooting that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012. It is a 501(c)(4) organization that engages in political advocacy campaigns and endorses specific candidates that support its gun control agenda. ^{1 2}

Policy Priorities

The Newtown Action Alliance’s policy priorities include stricter background checks, a ban on certain semi-automatic rifles and ammunition magazines, and making firearms manufacturers and dealers liable for crimes committed with their products. ²

The Newtown Action Alliance supports universal background checks, red flag laws, and a ban on “ghost guns.” It urges Connecticut legislators to pass these measures, which have been supported by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) at the federal level. ³ It is also urging members of Congress to support the Raise the Age Act, which would restrict the sale of certain semiautomatic rifles and shotguns to those under 21. ^{4 5}

In October 2024, the Newtown Action Alliance and Court Accountability published a report entitled “The Fraud of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Second Amendment Jurisprudence,” which claims that lobbyists for firearms manufacturers and other firearms interests have corrupted the Supreme Court. The report calls for Congress to pass policies that would ban justices from accepting gifts greater than $50, create 18-year term limits, tighten standards for financial disclosures, and expand (or “pack”) the court to 15 justices. ⁶

Related Organizations

The Newtown Action Alliance Foundation, the charitable arm of the Newtown Action Alliance, works to support families and communities affected by gun violence. It does this through direct support to impacted families, survivors, and communities, and educational programs to honor the victims of gun violence. ⁷

The Junior Newtown Action Alliance is supported by the Newtown Action Alliance Foundation. Its membership is made up of students at Newtown High School who work to raise awareness about gun violence and participate in organized vigils, school walkouts, and gun violence prevention events. Many of the students involved in Junior Newtown Action Alliance survived the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. ^{8 9}

Political Endorsements

In 2024, the Newtown Action Alliance posted its 2024 election endorsements on its website, including then-Vice President Kamala Harris for President and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for Vice President. It endorsed 11 Senate incumbents and seven Senate challengers, all Democrats. It also endorsed 178 Democratic incumbent members of the House of Representatives and 30 Democratic House of Representatives challengers. ¹⁰

The Newtown Action Alliance and the Junior Newtown Action Alliance joined with other gun control advocacy groups to formally announce their endorsement of then-Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Other groups included the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, and Students Demand Action. ¹¹

Campaigns

As of March 2025, Newtown Action Alliance listed 14 active campaigns on its website. Its End Gun Violence Lunch and Lobby Sessions take place when Congress is in session and are sponsored by gun-control activist groups Change the Ref, Amnesty International, and March For Our Lives. ¹²

The Coalition for Gun Industry Accountability supports legislation to make gun manufacturers and sellers liable for negligence and disregard for public safety when gun violence occurs. Coalition members include Activate America, the American Federation of Teachers, Amnesty International, the Center for American Progress, Gays Against Guns, Guns Down America, MomsRising, North American Climate, Conservation and Environment, and the Secure Elections Network. ¹³

Each year the Newtown Action Alliance and the Newtown Action Alliance Foundation join with other gun control groups in an annual vigil at St. Marks Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The vigil is sponsored primarily by the Joyce Foundation. Other supporters include the Fund for a Safer Future, Giffords, March For Our Lives, and Community Justice. ¹⁴

In June 2025, Newtown Action Alliance participated in organizing or supporting protests branded under the “#NoKings” banner, a national day of demonstrations positioned as a defense of democratic norms against President Donald Trump. These events were part of a larger mobilization involving over 70 Democratic Party affiliates and allied organizations across at least 19 U.S. states and multiple international locations, according to publicly available event listings on Mobilize.us, a Democratic Party-aligned organizing platform. ^{15 16}

Funding

In 2023, the Newtown Action Alliance filed a Form 990-EZ tax return which is used by tax-exempt organizations with gross receipts less than $200,000 and assets less than $500,000. It reported $62,521 in revenues and $80,342 in expenses. ^{17 18}

In 2021, left-of-center lobbying and advocacy organization Sixteen Thirty Fund donated $25,000 to the Newtown Action Alliance. ¹⁹

Leadership

Po Murray is co-founder and chairwoman of the Newtown Action Alliance and the Newtown Action Alliance Foundation. She is a co-organizer for the Connecticut Chapter of the Women’s March Network and a board member of Guns Down America and Survivors Empowered. Previously, she was a board member of States United to Prevent Gun Violence and was involved in the Biden administration Gun Violence Prevention Policy Subcommittee. ²⁰ She is a board member for Leaders We Deserve, a political action committee working to recruit and endorse state legislative and congressional candidates under age 35. ^{21 22}

1. “About Us.” Newtown Action Alliance. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://newtownactionalliance.squarespace.com/about-index#about-us
2. “Newtown Action Alliance.” Fact sheet. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a9cdd65620b8564e4ffd194/t/5ab52db1f950b7039c7a70b5/1521823154239/NAA+fact+sheet.pdf
3. Rob Polansky and Susan Raff. “Groups call for more gun control almost 12 years since Sandy Hook shooting.” WFSB Eyewitness News 3. December 12, 2024. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.wfsb.com/2024/12/12/groups-mark-12-years-since-sandy-hook-shooting/
4. Facebook – Newtown Action Alliance. Posted March 31, 2025. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.facebook.com/NewtownActionAlliance/
5. “H.R. 2870 – Raise the Age Act of 2023.” Congress.gov. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2870
6. “The Fraud of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Second Amendment Jurisprudence .” October 2024. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a9cdd65620b8564e4ffd194/t/671ab4a0abe2d52bd2a99ea1/1729803426724/The+Fraud+of+the+U.S.+Supreme+Court%E2%80%99s+Second+Amendment+Jurisprudence+October+2024.pdf Link from https://www.newtownactionalliance.org/court-accountability
7. “Our Mission.” Newtown Action Alliance Foundation. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.newtownactionalliancefoundation.org/mission
8. “Junior Newtown Action Alliance.” Newtown Action Alliance Foundation. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.newtownactionalliancefoundation.org/programs
9. Taylor Hartz. “Sandy Hook survivors honor fallen classmates with vow to keep advocating for gun violence prevention.” Hartford Courant. June 28, 2024. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.courant.com/2024/06/08/sandy-hook-survivors-honor-fallen-classmates-with-vow-to-keep-advocating-for-gun-violence-prevention/
10. “Newtown Action Alliance Endorsements for 2024 Elections.” Newtown Action Alliance – 2024 Endorsements. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://newtownactionalliance.squarespace.com/2024-endorsements
11. “Gun Safety Groups Announce Endorsement of Kamala Harris for President.” Moms Demand Action. July 23, 2024. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://momsdemandaction.org/press/gun-safety-groups-announce-endorsement-of-kamala-harris-for-president/
12. “#EndGunViolence Lunch & Lobby Sessions.” Newtown Action Alliance – Campaigns. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://newtownactionalliance.squarespace.com/endgunviolence-lunch-lobby-days
13. “Coalition for Gun Industry Accountability.” Newtown Action Alliance. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://newtownactionalliance.squarespace.com/coalition-for-gun-industry-accountability
14. “12^th Annual National Vigil for all Victims of Gun Violence.” Newtown Action Alliance Foundation. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.newtownactionalliancefoundation.org/national-vigil-for-all-victims-of-gun-violence
15. “Partners.” No Kings. Accessed June 25, 2025. https://www.nokings.org/partners.
16. Nomani, Asra. “Asra Nomani: The Familiar Hidden Hand behind Today’s #nokings Protests.” Fox News, June 14, 2025.https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/asra-nomani-familiar-hidden-hand-behind-todays-nokings-protests.
17. Newtown Action Alliance. Short Form Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990EZ – Part I). 2023.
18. “Form 990 Vs Form 990=EZ – Understanding the Difference.” Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.tax990.com/form-990-vs-form-990-ez/
19. Sixteen Thirty Fund. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Schedule I.) 2021.
20. “Po Murray.” Netroots Nation. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.netrootsnation.org/profile/po-murray/
21. Mary Ellen McIntire. “New PAC wants more people under 35 in Congress, legislatures.” Roll Call. August 9, 2023. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://rollcall.com/2023/08/09/new-pac-wants-more-people-under-35-in-congress-legislatures/
22. LinkedIn – Po Murray. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/po-murray-28b92bb/