HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A firearms industry trade and lobbying organization secretly built a database containing the personal information of millions of gun owners and used the data to target gun rights supporters with political ads dating back to the 2000 elections, according to a new lawsuit.

The suit against the National Shooting Sports Foundation , based in Shelton, Connecticut, alleges the organization obtained the data from major gun manufacturers, whose customers never agreed to have their personal information turned over to the NSSF or used for political purposes. The suit filed by two gun owners alleges “unjust enrichment” — that the NSSF benefited from using gun owners' information without paying for it.

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