Mary Lou Sapone

Mary Lou Sapone is an American self-described "research consultant", who is alleged to have infiltrated numerous gun control, animal rights, and environmental organizations under her maiden name, Mary McFate. She has been a subcontractor for the security firms Beckett Brown International (BBI) (which in 2000 changed its name to S2I Corporation), and Perceptions International.
When contacted by the media, McFate and the National Rifle Association (NRA) (who is alleged to have hired her) both have refused to comment on the allegations.
Personal life
Sapone is said to be a former flight attendant and sex counselor from Sarasota, Florida. Trutt later accused Sapone of coaxing her into the act, stating that on her way to carry out the bombing she lost her nerve and placed a call to Sapone, who convinced her to follow through with the plan. Activists accused Sapone of acting as an agent provocateur. She was on the board of Freedom States Alliance, a network of nine state-based gun control organizations. She was the director of federal legislation for States United to Prevent Gun Violence, a nationwide coalition of anti-gun groups. She collaborated with national organizations including the Brady Campaign and the Violence Policy Center.<ref name="something"/>
She twice attempted unsuccessfully to join the board of the Brady Campaign, the nation's largest gun-control group.<ref name="apdale"/>
During this time, according to a 2003 deposition by Tim Ward, who had been president of Beckett Brown International, the National Rifle Association had been "a client" of Sapone's.<ref name="something"/>
Exposure
The magazine Mother Jones was the first to report on McFate's alleged dual identity<ref name="apdale"/> in July 2008.
After Mother Jones revealed her activities, the president of the Brady Campaign, Paul Helmke, commented, "It raises some real concerns with the tactics of the NRA. If they've got one person, maybe they have more. If they've done this dirty trick, what else have they done?". Helmke also said he planned to search the Brady Campaign offices for listening devices and computer spyware.<ref name="apdale"/>
The Brady Campaign and other groups are researching whether McFate's alleged spying constituted a crime. Said Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and a former prosecutor, "Under some circumstances, it could be trespass, if they're open meetings, it may be underhanded and sneaky; it may not be illegal."<ref name="apdale"/>
Bryan Miller, executive director of Ceasefire NJ, a gun control group, said, "To have somebody that I consider a friend, have been with dozens of times, shared meals with, treated as a friend, to have her be an employee, a subcontracted spy for the NRA, is just mind-boggling. It's so venal. In the battle of ideas with the gun lobby, we're at a constant disadvantage because we're honest."<ref name="apdale"/>
The CeaseFirePA gun control group leadership voted to expel her on August 8, 2008. She had been a board member for seven years. "I feel flattered that the NRA would feel that they would have to infiltrate Ceasefire of PA. Obviously, they're hearing our footsteps," said Phil Goldsmith, the group's president. "Frankly, I think it's a waste of their money. We don't deal in state secrets."<ref name="apdale"/>

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