Koch Brother: Koch Industries an "Organized Crime" Operation

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Mueller Says That Until Yesterday He Had Almost Forgotten to Investigate Giuliani

FOCUS: The True Story of Last Weekend's Blizzard

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FOCUS: Will Sean Hannity's Ties to Michael Cohen Be His Undoing?

Dave Johnson writes: "William Koch, brother of company owners David and Charles, called the company an 'organized crime' operation: Koch says that Koch Industries engaged in '(o)rganized crime. And management driven from the top down. It was - was my family company. I was out of it,' he says. 'But that's what appalled me so much ... I did not want my family, my legacy, my father's legacy to be based upon organized crime.'"

Oklahoma oil well. (photo: file)

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+67 # granny 2011-03-22 11:46

And these thugs get away with it! Where is the Justice Deparment? And where are all the law-and-order Rethuglicans with their pious and self-righteous proclamations? Why, they are sitting in the Koch Brothers pockets, or stoned on their Koch habits.

+26 # Alturn 2011-03-22 12:59

Where is the justice department? They take orders from those who steal us blind.

"In America, political corruption is such that even senators and some members of the judiciary are on the payroll of drug dealers."
- World Teacher Maitreya through an associate as reported by Share International

+4 # Interested Observer 2011-03-22 16:14

Please do expect me to take my political news from spirit channeling charlatans promoting new age religious frauds. It is bad enough dealing with "news" coming from corporate/chris tian media fraud promoters.

+4 # Anarchist 23 2011-03-26 15:25

As Bob Dylan so eloquently wrote-The pump don't work cause the vandals stole the handles!

+52 # banichi 2011-03-22 11:52

No surprises here. The details are great to know, but I guess this just puts the Koch brothers in the same company as the largest banks and health insurance companies. They are all rackets with their fingers deep in the government corruption.

If the U.S. government is supposed to protect the citizens, yet does not, what is left?

+11 # RSJ 2011-03-23 18:13

Banichi, the gov't is protecting the citizens -- the corporate citizens. We now live on Orwell's 'Animal Farm' -- all of us are equal, but some of us (with money) are more equal than others. To paraphrase; Two bucks good, four million bucks better.

+59 # in deo veritas 2011-03-22 12:03

More evidence that the Bush crime family and Koch have been partners in crime. No wonder nothing was done to stop them. Ths "justice dept" has obviously been in their pocket as well or prosecutions would have resulted. Bravo to the brother who is not a part of this attempt to take over government. Those like Walker are accomplices and deserve
to do hard time not just be removed from office.

+49 # Gary Ray Pierson 2011-03-22 12:27

Wonder how many of us would die if we just charged the capital and get some one in there to run this government honestly? Millions running down Congress and being shot down by the thousands to save a few who are just wasting the planet and the people on it.. There's a better answer.. Just stop.. Not easy but just stop.. Slow down.. Do not buy their toys, only needed items, food, shelter, toilet paper,meds., etc. Get your heads out of the tech world and look around.. It's called Earth, your place of birth and some one is messing it up. You just gonna help em and Tweet or get in the street? What happened to the average Jo's balls? Silent castration.. Cpl.Pierson,101 st Airborne, Vietnam

+14 # Jeannine Goren 2011-03-22 12:52

Well said!

+17 # Hors-D-whores 2011-03-23 01:12

All this information and evidence should convince us that we are completely controlled by the corporatists and should make us all raving mad
We need to get Citizens United case done away with, and demand that our legislators have to answer for any additional money they make besides their pay, and with whom. Not allowing lobbyists to give money is one of the first things. We absolutely need to change our election procedures. That each congressperson has to collect $20,000 A DAY to start funding their re-elections is really corrupting.

+7 # RSJ 2011-03-23 18:28

@ Gary Ray Pierson: It would be a noble effort, but just make sure you don't buy Northern or Angel Soft bath tissue, Vanity Fair napkins, Brawny or Sparkle paper towels, Dixie, Mardi Gras or Georgia-Pacific products. They're all made by subsidiaries of Koch Industries.

For a more complete list of Koch products to avoid, go to:
http://kochwatch.org/index.php?q=node/28

+37 # giraffee2012 2011-03-22 12:29

The dems going after Obama should, instead, prosecute KNOWN criminals - the Kock brotherss record is in plain sight.

Go Wisconscin - VOTE in 2012 - all dems. R's have learned their lesson and should vote D.

+11 # bubbiesue 2011-03-22 22:43

WI will get to vote this year, 2011. There will be a recall election of 16 state Senators (the ones eligible) before summer is over. Only 3 seats must change from Republican to Democrat to effect a change in the state Senate. Memo to self: Be sure to vote.

+31 # matsovani 2011-03-22 13:14

My mother had royalties stolen from her in the mid 1980's directly from Koch industries they conned her out of half of one of her oil royalty accounts by having it go into suspense by saying her address was unknown while paying the other oil royalty account at her address same name same address but the one went into suspense. They had one of their companies contact her and tell her there was an account left to her at a bank by one of her Aunts and for half of the account they would send it to her she asked if it had anything to do with royalties and the man said absolutely not so she accepted the deal. When she found out what had transpired , she contacted the Koch Royalty Distribution and told them she had been scammed and that the account should never have been put into suspense, as they had her address it was invalid. They basically told her to F off.Anyway while checking into her own losses she found out that these same people working for Koch wwere going into rest homes and basically stealing the peoples royalties and mineral rights.

+16 # kmg595 2011-03-22 13:51

How in the world can we get a Recall Petition ability for National offices? If by some miracle that could happen, 'We The People' might have a chance at working to move our government where it could function within the Constitution and original intentions.

-12 # BradFromSalem 2011-03-22 13:58

What is most distressing is that if we were ever to manage to elect a Congress of Reformers that would put all these criminals in jail, and revoke the charters of criminal corporations there would be horrible immediate outcomes.
All industry would grind to a halt and the economy would be shoved into such a tailspin, I am afraid we would never recover.

It really makes you feel hopeless and helpless.

+24 # Interested Observer 2011-03-22 19:09

I suggest you look into an Atlas Shrugged recovery support group to get over the idea that the only people capable of building and running a modern nation and its businesses are arrogant, mendacious, greedy, egoistic sociopaths. It is time to exorcise Ayn Rand from the national consciousness.

0 # BradFromSalem 2011-03-22 20:31

Excuse me!

I said NOTHING supporting any Ayn Rand type of economic/politi cal oligarchy.

I merely stated that the amount of power the corporations now have has us in a precarious situation.

To believe we can wave a magic wand and the evil corporations go away is naive at best.

Apology expected and accepted!

+13 # Interested Observer 2011-03-23 09:59

"All industry would grind to a halt and the economy would be shoved into such a tailspin, I am afraid we would never recover." Is that not the John Galt premise in a nutshell? (And our oligarchs would like us to think of them in that light, and more than a few of them have been directly influenced by such philosophy that so conveniently rationalizes their desires even if the name rarely comes up.) I will only offer the Maher apology: I am sorry if I hurt your feelings. Your post seems to be a reflection, even if it is not an endorsement, of the notion that we actually need a gang of fiscal rapists to save us from a future of fighting over rat meat in the streets, and in return for that favor there is nothing that should be denied them while actual means, the actual meaning, and the cumulative effects of their "success" must never be questioned. The widening gap (in ratio not mere number) between the highest compensation and the typical, an order or two of magnitude over the decades does not reflect the success of the market system but ongoing corruption that ultimately erodes the foundations of liberty, the real American dream. The plutocrats will be a happy so long as they corner the market on rat meat, on special this week at Wal-Mart.

+8 # aikidokurt 2011-03-22 20:31

"It really makes you feel hopeless and helpless."
may be intended by design, no? I agree; and it is a form of terrorism...

+5 # Lesabre 2011-03-23 12:12

Look what the people in Asia have done. We gotta have nerve and guts to do it.....Those corps want money and they will want to keep opperating rather than fold up. So much of the world is scrambling for Democracy because of us, but if they take a close look at how we are now they might not be so impressed.

+19 # Buckles 2011-03-22 14:03

What else is new? And we thought the Mafia were the only ones who were criminals. Koch is royalty and not to be touched. Are you listening? Wisconsin senators?

+15 # sfreeman 2011-03-22 14:35

It gets worse. These thugs literally are buying university courses, paying professors to teach at least two courses developed for (by?) the Koch brothers, and paying students to take the courses. Tuition is paid, a stipend is paid, books are provided free, and students are fed every class period. It is astounding universities will prostitute themselves by allowing corporations to put their own courses into university curricula; yet, this is exactly what is happening.

+15 # Interested Observer 2011-03-22 19:16

In the fully developed corporate state there will be no universities as we know them, only glorified trade schools turning out disposable workers out of which a few will be groomed for power. No year goes by that business does not complain that higher education is not tailored to their next quarter's expectations. Corporate culture is an oxymoron except in at strictly technical sense.

0 # Patrisha Dean 2011-03-23 15:13

Where can I verify what you contend?

+1 # drewnorth 2011-03-24 01:29

I would like to know where you got that information...i t's enlightening to say the least

+20 # Rita Walpole Ague 2011-03-22 17:34

Let's put aside fear and anger, and replace those things with Wisconsin style determination. And, this is important even though hard and painful at times to do, let's i.d. the Koch suckers and all the puppets and enforcers who have so Bushwhacked us. And, sadly, this may include any number of Dems., including but not limited to a pres. named Obama, who has taken the safe vs. brave/change route.

There is no HOPE for CHANGE until we get real McCoy reformists (vs. Tea Party shammers for the Kochs) into local, state and national offices. It's called taking back our govt., restoring liberty and justice for all, and undoing our years and years in the coming military - industrial - corporate - terrorism complex coup d'etat.

Fight like hell must to UNDO THE COUP!

+7 # BradFromSalem 2011-03-22 20:59

Thank You Rita,

Your point regarding Obama possibly being one that has to be Id'ed as part of the coup, or at least an accessory is sad but true.

However I would like to point out out that history always has the moderate reformer, that tries to go the safe route ending up behind the train. An example would be Gorbachav in the old Soviet Union.

Once people realize they have been taken for fools, they will effect real change.

While I still am afraid its too late, I also have hope.

0 # Patrisha Dean 2011-03-23 15:45

Right on! Our liberties we MUST prize, but our rights MUST be maintained! This should awaken people to be aware of the
truth and be more committed to how these companies work to destroy them little by little (as in Poland) and using our youth's blood for oil, etc. We all need to rethink our priorities. Whose services are most necessary? Teachers, doctors, lawyers, bankers, etc.?

0 # Patrisha Dean 2011-03-23 15:55

Agree. We must start NOW!Our country is at stake!

0 # Patrisha Dean 2011-03-23 15:58

Agree!

+19 # fredboy 2011-03-22 18:02

What's the difference between a criminal and a free market capitalist?

The law protects the free market capitalist.

+12 # Interested Observer 2011-03-22 19:23

Doesn't that joke go:

What's the difference between a free market capitalist and a sack of ...er.. manure.

The sack!

?

+5 # oldtimer40 2011-03-23 14:52

A criminal is a person with predatory instincts, but without the funds to become a corporation.

+2 # gabriel Lori 2011-03-24 00:10

These are the family values that conserves talk about!!! Stealing lying and forgery and crush the middle class and the workers!! Great values for them??

-6 # Jarel 2011-03-24 06:44

The Koch brothers have done nothing wrong. They operate in strict accordance to the instructions as written out in their holy books. We do tolerate that kind of bad religion too. Their religion is god's chosen religion for god's chosen people (stealing, lying, swindling, etc.)

+4 # dr.david 2011-03-24 12:50

It is, alas, true that individual Jews are no more immune than the rest of humanity to "stealing, lying, swindling, etc." But what kind of mad, fanatic hatred leads folks like Jarel to claim that these sins are "instructions as written out in their holy books" and are part of "their religion"? Are we to be subjected once again to the benighted ravings of those who believe in the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion"? Will we never leave insanity like this behind us?

0 # Anarchist 23 2011-03-26 15:33

Please pause to remember theat Good and Evil are Equal Oportunity Employers! For an interesting and most predictive read-go find a SF book written in 1968 'Stand on Zanzibar' by John Brunner. If you can't find that try 'The Trick Top Hat' by Robert Anton Wilson-especial ly the bit about the 'revolution of lowered expectations' We ceertainly could make an amazing public service commercial on the theme 'This is your country on Koch'! Oh wait the phrase 'public service' has been banned!

+1 # William Leavenworth 2011-03-26 17:25

I don't think the Kochs are Jewish. Their grandfather came over from Holland.

+3 # OM 2011-03-26 12:00

The Koch Brothers aren't alone. They have & have had plenty of accompliances. This type is not new. They have occurred through out world & american history. The Ten Commandments, Anti-trust Laws, etc. are examples of societies trying to hold them accountable. History also shows that a society refusing to hold them accountable will eventually destroy
itself & its peoples way of life.
A good place to start: Go After the Koch Criminals & anyone who gets in the way.

0 # DHa7763100 2011-08-13 15:54

It's the way of organized crime. They do you a favor, then you owe them for the rest of your life. The Koch brothers helped the tea party terroists get elected, now they are stuck. They owe the Koch brothers big.

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