Following the money

Koch Industries Funding Anti-Climate Agenda, and Now Democratic Senators

Oil and gas giant Koch Industries is doling out more and more money to Democrats as it works to turn the polar ice caps into puddles in bipartisan fashion. Formerly regarded as a staunchly Republican funding machine, Koch has given nearly 30 percent of its overall campaign dollars to Democrats so far this year.


Some of that largesse ended up in the coffers of typically environment-friendly members, including Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR). As E&E News reports ($ubscription req’d) and The Wonk Room relays, Senator Lincoln has collected $10,000 so far this year from Koch Industries, and Senator Baucus has collected $5,000.


Why are Senators Lincoln and Baucus accepting this dirty energy money from Koch? In the League of Conservation Voter’s scorecard of pro-environment members for the 2nd session of the last Congress, Senator Lincoln scored 91% and Senator Baucus scored 100%.




Koch hasn’t had a change of heart or any moral epiphany about its contribution to global warming and planetary demise. So why are these Senators suddenly taking oil and gas money from one of the world’s worst polluters?


As we reported previously here at DeSmog Blog, Koch and its affiliates have funneled millions of dollars to industry front groups who contend that global warming is a liberal conspiracy rather than a scientifically proven fact. Koch-funded groups wage war on science and spout oil and gas industry lies to confuse people into believing that the status quo is just fine, which suits Koch’s oily bottom line perfectly.

The above was from July 2009. Now from Greenpeace

The company’s founder, Fred Koch, who once earned $5 million building oil refineries in the Soviet Union during Joseph Stalin’s reign, was a co-founder of the libertarian John Birch Society. Charles G. and David H. Koch, two of Fred’s four sons, each now own 42% of the company’s stock. According to 2009 Forbes rankings, the Koch brothers are tied for the 19th-richest person in the world, and for ninth-richest American, each worth between $14 and $16 billion, more than George Soros or the founders of Google.


The Koch brothers use three foundations to spread Koch Industries’ influence, including support for roughly 40 organizations that doubt or downplay climate change or otherwise oppose policy solutions to build a clean energy future. Greenpeace also notes that Koch Industries has been the largest oil and gas industry contributor to electoral campaigns since the 2006 election cycle, and its done its fair share of lobbying as well.


The Greenpeace report notes Koch’s role in funding the Institute for Energy Research, which was behind the Danish study that attacked the viability of wind power. Greenpeace also points out the role that Koch’s web of climate denier groups played in supporting, disseminating and promoting the Spanish study attacking green jobs, including AFP, IER and the Heritage Foundation.

Following the money - oil and gas wallets need to keep their coffers filled and denying the impact of fossil fuel use is essential.