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Paul Harris reports: "Greenwald said the threat of a Koch backlash against his organisation was a concern but that he would not be intimidated: 'The Kochs are the poster boys for a system that has become deeply unbalanced. We know that they are not happy with what we have done so far. They are going to be a lot less happy as we go on.'"

David H. Koch of Koch Industries, 08/30/10. (photo: Richard Schulman/Corbis)
David H. Koch of Koch Industries, 08/30/10. (photo: Richard Schulman/Corbis)



Koch Brothers Under Attack by Robert Greenwald

By Paul Harris, The Observer UK

16 May 11

Robert Greenwald is taking the fight to billionaires David and Charles Koch, who fund much of the US's rightwing politics.

ven for the Lincoln Center it was an unusual show, and an unscheduled one. Several hundred protesters turned up outside the arts complex on Manhattan's Upper West Side last week for the guerrilla screening of a short film. From a hotel on the other side of the street, a video was projected on to the center's walls. The unwitting stars of the films were David and Charles Koch, the reclusive rightwing billionaire brothers whose secretive empire and network of influence and funding is emerging as a liberal rallying cause in America.

As bemused theatregoers watched the boisterous crowd, the videos depicted facts and figure showing Koch support for Tea Party groups, global warming sceptics and thinktanks seeking to strip away regulations on the environment, cut social security and oppose healthcare reform. On the David H. Koch Theatre in the complex - renamed when one of the brothers donated $100 million (�62 millioin) in 2008 - activists climbed a ladder to post a giant sticker above the sign bearing Koch's name. "I am the Tea Party's wallet," it read. When the police vans finally arrived, the activists had gone.

For Koch Industries, one of the largest private businesses in America, it was another attempt by liberal groups to drag it into the public eye over accusations that it is corrupting US politics in pursuit of its business interests. There have been lengthy magazine articles investigating its activities, growing protests and a legion of bloggers scouring the company's every move.

At the forefront of the movement is the unlikely figure of Hollywood director Robert Greenwald, 65, who brought the world the Olivia Newton-John dance movie Xanadu. Greenwald reinvented himself as a leftwing documentary maker, and has his focus on the Koch brothers. His Brave New Foundation group organised the Lincoln Center film show.

"David Koch spent $100 million to put his name on that theatre, but we want people to understand what it really should be named," he told the Observer.

Brave New Foundation, with a team of 15 including three full-time researchers, is running a web competition where suggestions for a new sign are plastered over a picture of the theatre. "Treasonous Plutocrats R Us" and "Evil Greed Incarnate" are some of the entries.

Greenwald said that the popularity of the contest is another way to keep public attention on the brothers. Indeed last week Jack O'Dwyer, a leading Manhattan PR professional, called on the Lincoln Centre to drop the Koch name. That was music to Greenwald's ears. "The Kochs have always been very smart. They did not need the spotlight. But the more people we can impact with our actions showing what the Kochs have been doing, the better off we will be."

Greenwald is determined to make the fight personal. His activists have found five homes of the brothers in the US and filmed themselves knocking on the doors, from the ski resort of Aspen, Colorado, to Palm Beach in Florida. The homes are profiled in "luxury porn" detail and juxtaposed with the hard times of working-class Americans. In one scene three financially struggling pensioners picnic on the beach outside a Koch mansion and wonder why anyone would need a house so big. In another, a researcher ambushes David Koch at the Economic Club of New York and asks: "How many houses do you really need?" The stone-faced Koch rapidly retreats behind a security guard without a word.

The personal tactics have brought Greenwald criticism, but he is unconcerned. He says that the political activities and donations of the brothers have affected the lives of millions of less wealthy Americans. "The least we can do is ring their doorbell. What they are doing is hurting people's lives. Ideology has consequences."

Anger is focused on the mix of conservatism and libertarianism, especially in economics. The sprawling Koch Industries has vast oil and energy interests. The brothers, each worth an estimated $22bn, are joint seventh on Forbes magazine's 2011 list of the richest Americans.

Their money helped start Americans For Prosperity, a Tea Party-linked organisation that has campaigned vociferously against Barack Obama's healthcare reforms. It admitted helping to organise anti-union moves by the controversial Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, which led to some of the largest protests in recent American history.

The Kochs have also given millions to thinktanks and groups that fight environmental legislation, especially to oppose the scientific consensus on global warming and try to lift regulations on air pollution and potentially dangerous chemicals. They believe in drastically cutting the role of government and slashing benefits such as social security.

A recent report on the Politico website detailed how they planned to spend $88 million in the 2012 election supporting conservative causes and politicians.

The Kochs share the Tea Party view that Obama is a threat to the American way of life. Last week David Koch made a rare comment to a reporter from New York magazine, calling Obama "a hardcore socialist". "He's marvellous at pretending to be something other than that, but that is what I believe he truly is, a hardcore socialist. He's scary to me," he added.

There is nothing illegal about the Kochs' political activities. Greenwald concedes they have every right to fund whatever organisations they like.

Some groups have said however that their business practices are sometimes the opposite of their public campaigns. A non-partisan Washington watchdog group, the Centre for Public Integrity, reported last month that Koch Industries' ethanol business enjoys high incomes thanks to government subsidies, despite their disapproval of such policies. Equally, while they oppose a cap-and-trade system in the US to control carbon emissions, the trading arm of Koch Industries makes millions in Europe from such a system.

The report also detailed their lobbying interests. From $857,000 in 2004, Koch Industries spent a staggering $20 million in 2008 and $20.5 million from 2009 to 2010

The company employs about 30 people in Washington seeking to influence more than 100 pieces of federal legislation. Greenpeace has expressed concern at the lobbying activities: "Organisations funded by Koch foundations have led the assault on climate science and scientists, green jobs, renewable energy and climate policy progress," it said in a report on the brothers in March.

Last week it was reported that a Koch foundation had funded two academic posts in the economics department of Florida State University - with the proviso that it would decide which candidates could be considered. Giving such power to a donor is an unusual move, especially at a public university. It also emerged that 60% of the university's suggestions were vetoed by the Kochs.

Not surprisingly, the brothers are fighting back. They rarely respond directly to their press critics. Emailed questions from the Observer to a Koch Industries representative received no response. But some reporters have been approached by PR people hired by the brothers to put forward their point of view.

The Kochs have also used more hardline tactics. One of the most revealing recent articles was a long expos� in the New Yorker by Jane Meyer. But when the report was nominated for a national award, a Koch executive wrote to the American Society of Magazine Editors criticising it for considering the article.

The brothers also sued pranksters who set up a fake Koch Industries website and sent out a bogus press release. Though a Utah judge dismissed the case, such lawsuits could easily be seen as a threat to others not to do the same. The Kochs also apparently bought online advertising against the Centre for Public Integrity report so that Google searches for it would also find statements rubbishing the claims.

Despite such efforts, the anti-Koch campaigners are unlikely to go away. Greenwald - whose previous targets have included Fox News, WalMart and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani - says that he has at least seven more anti-Koch videos in the works.

Greenwald said the threat of a Koch backlash against his organisation was a concern but that he would not be intimidated: "The Kochs are the poster boys for a system that has become deeply unbalanced. We know that they are not happy with what we have done so far. They are going to be a lot less happy as we go on."

Family Fortunes

A conglomerate specialising in chemicals, energy and technology, Koch Industries is America's second-largest private company, with more than 70,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of more than $100 billion.

Originally called Rock Island Oil & Refining, the company was founded in 1940 by Fred Koch. Following his death in 1967 his son Charles became president, renaming it Koch Industries in his father's honour.

In 1983 Charles and his youngest brother David bought out their other two siblings, William and Frederick, for $1.1 billion to become the principal owners. Both have a 42% stake, which makes chief executive Charles (now 75) and vice-president David (71) the joint 18th-richest people in the world.

Charles is co-founder of libertarian thinktank the Cato Institute, while David founded the conservative non-profit group Americans for Prosperity and has spent $45 million bankrolling rightwing politicians. In November last year, Forbes magazine rated the pair the joint 54th most powerful people in the world.

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+20 # Wise woman 2017-06-29 14:49
Scott, you and I are only two in the vast number of Americans who can't afford proper treatment for our medical issues. In addition, our for profit system doesn't insure good outcomes as you already know. I have suffered major medical injury and have yet to receive any compensation due to a legal system that supports these calamities. How much lawyers and judges get paid for that is anyone's guess. Needless to say, until this corruption is dealt with on every level, we will continue to be #37 or lower on the World Health Associations list of good health care. France is #1 in case you're interested.
 
 
+26 # vilstef 2017-06-29 17:07
Worst Pres*dent and worst Republican leadership of my lifetime. They are not only sore losers, they are the most obnoxious and ungracious winners you'll ever see.
 
 
+19 # Jaax88 2017-06-29 18:05
Why don't folks who will be hurt by the big fat GOP/trumpian lie of better health care while all it is a scheme to transfer billions of tax money to the wealthy stand up to the GOP and say NO? Too willing to believe that lie because their party is saying it, too scared to speak up or too dumb and brain washed to under stand they will be the victims of a big heist?
 
 
+7 # lfeuille 2017-06-29 23:26
They have been. The Pols aren't listening to their constituents. They listen to their donors instead.
 
 
+14 # angelfish 2017-06-29 18:12
He is UNFIT as a Human Being which makes him all the MORE UNFIT as President of the Greatest country in the World. In his short Tenure, he has Cheapened, Vulgarized, Dishonored and Debauched the Office of the President and it will take DECADES to wash his Stink out of the Oval Office and the White House. Putting his Personna above the health of this Nation, by use of threats, coercion and only God knows what else, has jeopardized us in more ways than one can imagine! We are no longer a Leader on the World Stage, and in fact, have been reduced to "Bit Players" as others eager to assume the mantle snatch it up, however eagerly or reluctantly. When the Scandal is FINALLY made Public, ALL involved in the Treachery of getting him elected should share his fate and be REMOVED, never again to be allowed to hold ANY Office of Public Trust again. God Bless, Save and Protect us from those who would use us for their OWN Evil ends!
 
 
+24 # Blackjack 2017-06-29 18:51
Trump puts himself and money above everything else. He cares not one whit about the country. . .only how he can scam it to his benefit.
 
 
+12 # Rodion Raskolnikov 2017-06-29 19:02
Scott is right but it has always been politics over the health of the nation. Trump is just the latest to do it. Trump is going against his campaign promises in order to get in good with congressional republicans like Ryan and McConnell. I really don't think Trump has any principles at all. He only wants friends and supporters. So for that, he will through anyone who needs healthcare subsidies under the bus.

Very few politicians have any principles. Our electoral systems selects for the most unscrupulous and competitive people.

But I think Trump and the Republicans will pay a heavy price for taking healthcare backwards and costing the lives of many thousands of people. They will have a hard time winning national elections after all this.
 
 
+4 # Buddha 2017-06-29 20:28
Quoting Rodion Raskolnikov:
They will have a hard time winning national elections after all this.


Not when they run the elections in the vast majority (enough for an Electoral College win, as we saw) of states and counties in our country, and thus can rig those elections through strip-and-flip, poll-taxing, under-boothing, losing Dem registrations, all the usual tactics of selective disenfranchisem ent. That the GOP is pushing a bill with
 
 
+17 # reiverpacific 2017-06-29 19:21
You don'y HAVE a healthcare system in the US -a disgrace in its own right especially for the richest nation on Earth.
This brat is just trying to make sure that you never do on his watch, the better to make crawling servants of the corrupt status quo of you.
You sure as Hell are reaping the whirlwind in not electing Bernie Sanders, the ONLY populist politician who ran in the last cycle.
This isn't called the United States of Amnesia for nothing.
 
 
+5 # Buddha 2017-06-29 20:24
Yes, Trump has lied to his ever-gullible deplorables. But meanwhile we have probably half of the DEMOCRATIC Party, like Diane Feinstein, saying "I'm not there yet" for single-payer. The DEM CA Speaker of the Assembly just killed our nascent single-payer-bi ll, and one look at OpenSecrets shows how much HMO cash is flooding his coffers. Yes, by any measure, Trump is "worse"...but that is becoming a tactic for simply accepting a Democratic Party that ALSO isn't working for the American people and puts politics (and campaign donations) above the health of the nation too. I'm so tired of it. It is the same crap we hear from all the HRC supporters, all they got is "we at least better than Trump".
 
 
+6 # JustJessting 2017-06-29 22:07
Scott, Very glad and genuinely relieved that by a mere twist of fate / random stroke of good fortune, there may be a rare Medicare exception that would allow you an option that will not be afforded to the vast majority of Americans.

As for Trump and the GOP's "replacement" for "Obamacare" ~ let's call it what it is: The Yuge Tax Cut / Insurance Executives' Protection Act. What it IS / will be In FACT and In EFFECT:

"Depraved Heart Murder ~ the form of murder that establishes that the willful doing of a dangerous and reckless act with wanton indifference to the consequences and perils involved, is just as blameworthy, and just as worthy of punishment, when the harmful result ensues, as is the express intent to kill itself."
 
 
+8 # diamondmarge7 2017-06-30 01:23
Nina Turner, the former Ohio State Senator, who, early on, supported BERNIE, has just become President of OurRevolution, the group working to bring about PROGRESSIVE politics in our poor USA.
Singlepayer is gaining support, despite the idiot CA DEM who ended its impetus most recently.
Lissen up, folks, ya gotta write, call, march, and support www.DraftBernie.
I called my toe-the-line horrible Rethuglican SC Senators:LGraha m&Tim Scott & gave them a piece of my mind for their sleazy support of McConnell's DeathPanel legislation. Will call AGAIN TOMORROW becoz of highway robbery BigPharma price on an Rx I had to buy yesterday. Outrageous price on drug that's been on the market for several years w/no generic yet.
 
 
+2 # librarian1984 2017-06-30 09:43
Go get 'em!

Ugh, Lindsey Graham. We've got Pat Toomey.

Fight the good fight, everybody! This is the time!
 
 
+3 # boomerjim 2017-06-30 12:53
Actually, it's the GOP in Congress that puts politics over the health of the nation. By contrast, Trump puts what's good for Trump and his obsessive narcissism over both the health of the country AND the politics of the GOP.

The American people increasingly want single payer, while Trump wants to be the single player. ;-)
 
 
+3 # Robbee 2017-06-30 17:19
13 male repuke senators - a/k/a "the death panel"
 
 
0 # MikeAF48 2017-06-30 20:27
Russia if you are listening.
 

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