Open Secrets on Koch Industries
February 24, 2011
Posted by kris at February 24, 2011 07:46 AM
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Whatever your take on Scott Walker and Wisconsin's public unions, one thing I think that needs to end is this demonization of Koch Industries and this idea that they are the nefarious driving force behind Walker's budget repair bill. I've already highlighted David H. Koch's considerable philanthropy and eclectic political views, but let's take a look at just how involved Koch Industries is with Scott Walker and with the budget repair bill.
Here are some facts:
- Koch Industries gave $43,000 to Walker's campaign in 2010, approximately 0.47% of his total campaign contributions.
- I've read some articles that say that Koch Industries donated millions on non-candidate specific attack ads. However, I can't find any evidence on Open Secrets that this is true. David & Julia Koch have donated over $1 million in soft money, but none since the 2002 election
- Looking at the national issues Koch Industries has lobbied about, you see, predictably, energy-related bills. Not budget. Not labor. There's simply no evidence of some dark union busting agenda. Sorry.
I get that people can reasonably and passionately disagree with this bill, but building up a Koch Industries boogie man does nothing to help their argument. I'm so incredibly sick of this attitude from people on both sides of the political spectrum that people can't disagree with them without being evil. David Koch isn't out to destroy the American way of life any more than George Soros is. Move on.
Posted by kris at February 24, 2011 07:46 AM
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Comments
| # February 24th, 2011 11:24 AM kris |
| So apparently David Koch is the chairman of Americans for Prosperity and they don't disclose their donor list, so that's the attack ad allegation, which now makes more sense, although no one has disclosed how much money they've given, so who the eff knows.
I dunno. Even the big NY Times article says: “The Koch brothers are the poster children of the effort by multinational corporate America to try to redefine the rights and values of American citizens,” said Representative Gwen Moore, Democrat of Wisconsin, who joined with others in the union protests. |
| # February 26th, 2011 10:15 PM james |
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| # February 27th, 2011 8:50 AM kris |
| so wait a second here. How can you draw such a direct line between Koch's 60K contribution and the RSLC's funding of GOP candidates. That 60K is just 6% of their funding. Likewise, the AFP spent $50 million in 2010, but no one knows how much in WI or how much the Kochs gave (AFP claims that they have 70,000 donors).
The money to the RGA and the the $43K they gave directly to Walker are, in my opinion, the only links here. Also - can you find me a nice graph like this that demonstrates how the Unions bought the Dems and that maybe we should be just as concerned about that? What does bother me here is that organizations like the AFP don't have to release donor information. I know that it was a big controversy in California around donors to pro and anti-gay marriage groups suffering consequences due to their support, but I think the public's right to know does outweigh the threat of potential consequences to individual donors. |
| # February 27th, 2011 7:29 PM james |
upon seeing any information that doesn't quite jive with their world view, kris and other republicans search for answers.
"B-b-b-b-u-t the UNIONS own the DEMS! WHY ISN'T THAT ON YOUR CHART?!?!?!?!!" |
| # February 28th, 2011 9:57 AM BVBigBro |
| Can you do a similar chart for GE and Obama? Given the scope, it would have to be a thousand times larger, though.
I love the fact that the Democrats are taking on the Kochs. They are giving free publicity to a person who could in fact be a viable Presidential candidate on a fairly libertarian platform. And if this is the skeleton in the closet not even the MSM can help them. |
| # March 1st, 2011 12:52 PM kris |
| Koch's not a viable candidate - Koch Industries has too many oil spills, environmental violations, etc. |