Bloomberg City Aide Sent to Nevada to Lobby About Gun Issues

That's an odd use of city staff

Michael Bloomberg's gun control group sent a city employee to register as a lobbyist in Nevada on state-based firearms issues, a use of government resources that raises further questions about the relationship between the city and the mayor's self-funded 501(c)(4).

City Hall confirmed to POLITICO that Christopher Kocher, who works as a special counsel for Bloomberg's office, registered as a lobbyist for the 2013 legislative session in Nevada, to push a background checks bill there.

The news was first reported by the New York Post.

"With 85 percent of guns used in crimes here coming from out of state, gun policy everywhere has an impact on the safety of New Yorkers," said Bloomberg spokesman John McCarthy, insisting it's a governmental issue. "The mayor's top priority is keeping New Yorkers safe and that includes seeking sane gun laws in other states and D.C. to help reduce the flow of illegal guns to New York."