New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns has hired Thorsen French Advocacy to lobby in favor of legislation to require background checks for all firearms purchases.

MAIG contends that background checks are the single most effective answer to the gun violence, which results in the deaths of 33 Americans who are murdered by guns each day.

It claims wide support for background checks, pointing to a poll conducted for MAIG by Republican Frank Lunz that found 82 percent of gun owners, including 74 percent of NRA members back criminal background checks for anyone buying a gun.

Carl Thorsen, who was general counsel to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, is leading the push for MAIG. He co-founded his firm with Alex French, former VP-government relations for NBC Universal, in 2010.

Bloomberg co-chairs MAIG with Boston’s Tom Menino. The organization views itself as a counterweight to the NRA, which spent $1.3M for federal lobbying during the past year.

Last month, MAIG retained JBH Group, which is headed by Jamie Brown Harriman. She was Google’s first lobbyist and special assistant for legislative affairs for President George W. Bush.

At the White House, Harriman handed the nomination of Supreme Court chief John Roberts and Justice Sam Alito.

She also worked the re-authorization of the Patriot Act.