Matthew McConaughey visits D.C. to talk 'gun responsibility'

Matthew McConaughey, ‘gun responsibility’ lobbyist, reveals his D.C. reform efforts

A man in glasses and a suit speaks in the White House briefing room with the American flag at his side

June 17, 2022 3:49 PM PT

Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila Alves have visited dozens of politicians at the highest levels of the U.S. government to talk about guns — and the actor just put the proof online.

“This is and was about gun responsibility,” a video posted to his social media accounts said Friday. “Camila and I met with over 30 Members across both parties. We met with leaders of the Senate, the House and the President.”

The black-and-white video shows him meeting with politicians including — among others — President Biden, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell and, on the Democratic side of Congress, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, Sen. Joe Manchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“This is about mental health, safer schools ... AND keeping guns out of the IRresponsible hands that, by rule of law, still have access to them today,” it said later in the video. “The solution must come from both sides. For ourselves, our children, Republicans, Democrats, and our fellow Americans ... It’s time to be responsible.”

The actor and Uvalde, Texas, native has been stirred to action in the wake of the May 25 shooting deaths of 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in his hometown, which may have been worsened by a delayed response from law enforcement.

Filing under the name of his company, Barefoot Money Inc., McConaughey officially disclosed to Congress on Wednesday that as of June 2 he had hired lobbyists from the Washington, D.C., branch of Avisa Partners to assist him in his political efforts regarding “firearms/guns/ammunition.”

McConaughey also took to the stage in the White House briefing room June 7 to talk about his and Alves’ visit to Uvalde after the tragedy and to call for “responsible gun ownership.”

The actor is no stranger to guns: He recalled learning about firearm safety as a child in Uvalde with an air-pellet rifle that day. He also suggested that a broad, bipartisan majority exists that would support expanding background checks, raising the minimum age for purchasing assault rifles to 21 and enacting red-flag laws. California already has a law that allows a court to temporarily remove guns and ammunition from a person who is deemed at significant risk of self-harm or harming others.

“These are reasonable, practical regulations,” he said. “Responsible gun owners are fed up with the 2nd Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individual.”

McConaughey has also previously put some thought into bridging the political divide between the left and the right, having made the case for becoming “aggressively centrist” in a December 2020 chat with comic-actor-podcaster Russell Brand.

He chided the “illiberal left” for choosing to “absolutely condescend, patronize or are arrogant towards that other 50%,” the people on the right side of the aisle. But he talked about people meeting in the middle being critical, because “the two vehicles on either side of the political aisle, are so far apart, their ... tires aren’t even on the pavement anymore.”

Staff writer Eli Stokols contributed to this report.