We are all Peter Suderman now:
Who’s behind a multi-million dollar campaign to seed doubt about climate change? It’s not just Exxon and Chevron—it’s also Koch Industries, an oil and gas giant that most people have never heard of, according to a new report from Greenpeace. Koch’s extensive funding of anti-climate work makes it the “financial kingpin of climate science denial and clean energy opposition,” says Greenpeace.
[….]The report lists 35 organizations who have directly or indirectly received money from Koch Industries, affiliates, or Koch family foundations. They include the libertarian think-tank Cato Institute, which received a $1 million grant from the Kochs. Cato runs the climate-change-denial site GlobalWarming.org, and is suing the Environmental Protection Agency to block its finding that climate change threatens human health. The Koch family has also directed more than $5 million to Americans for Prosperity, which has campaigned against efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. They have also supported Citizens for a Sound Economy (which later merged with another group to form FreedomWorks).
The Koch PAC has given more than $10,000 to 21 lawmakers since 2004—four Democrats and 17 Republicans—which is more than any other oil-and-gas sector PAC, the report states. Topping the House recipients: Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) at $30,500, Eric Cantor (R-Va.) at $28,000, and Joe Barton (R-Texas) at $26,500. On the Senate side, Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Lisa Murkowsi (R-Alaska) both received $20,000 in Koch Funds, and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) received $18,000.
In fairness, this is a much more effective use of Koch brother money than paying Nick Gillespie and and Matt Welch is.
The Populist
How the hell is KOCH pronounced Coke?
Elitism, I tell you…
Kryptik
But scientists need funding so they’re obviously lying to protect their money and their jobs. This is just concerned citizens trying to stop the lies of those evil elitist scientists, so yeah. Also, too.
freelancer (itouch)
But I don’t wanna sleep with Megan!
Fergus Wooster
Don’t forget that the Koch family co-founded and funded the John Birch Society. So they’ve been concerned citizens for quite some time. Also, too.
Martian Buddy
This makes me even happier that she’s been primaried.
Props to Greenpeace on following the money trail–it was an eye-opener to see so many old hands from the Tobacco Research Institute involved with the climate change denialism industry.
Zam
Hehehe, Koch.
Hart Williams
At the risk of sounding self-serving (which it isn’t) this is a good place to toss a couple more logs on the Koch fire.
Anatomy of a global (Koch) smear that was timed for the Copenhagen climate conference (that’s mostly gotten traffic in Europe and Asia, USA? Crickets):
An Inconvenient Poof
http://hisvorpal.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/an-inconvenient-poof/
and
Russian ‘Think Tank’ ties to Cato even MORE Suspicious
http://hisvorpal.wordpress.com/2009/12/19/russian-think-tank-ties-to-cato-even-more-suspicious/
The media manipulation and stealth are way TOO under the radar.
TBogg
Gillespie and Welch can be had for a McNugget Happy Meal and you can keep the toy.
Kryptik
@Hart Williams:
Well, how do you expect them to investigate this when everyone in America is so devoted to uncovering the insidiousness of the “Warmer” scientists and their abuse of tenure money! Don’t you have priorities man?!
(But yeah, seriously, it’s amazing how much money filters in from these guys, but it’s all about how the scientists all have conflicts of interests because of money).
gypsy howell
This is totally OT, but it’s now indisputable fact – Blue States men have bigger dicks than Red States men. (As if we didn’t know that just looking at Erik Erickson’s soft pudgy girlhands)
**Edited to get out of moderation hell. I used the dreaded P word.
ChrisS
Not surprising…
Is it just me or is the word “conservation” completely missing from any current energy/environment dialogue?
I hear “sustainable power,” “green power,” and “efficient” a lot, but the simple act of reducing the amount of energy we use seems to be a no-no.
Martian Buddy
@Kryptik: I’m really starting to think that when a conservative accuses liberals of doing something, said conservative should immediately be investigated for it. It’s remarkable how frequently they turn out to be guilty of the things they whine about.
master c
Somebody here loves the Clash.
SP
My brain always melts when I read about this stuff because Koch also pours millions into cancer research (the building they paid for will be done around the end of the year) so it’s not like they’re anti-science: http://web.mit.edu/ki/
demo woman
Didn’t the Koch family buy GA Pacific also?
slag
Mother Jones needs a better editor.
And good on Greenpeace for making this information known although, honestly, I have no idea what to do with it. I’m already on board with Lessig’s clean campaigns initiative as Sisyphean as it may be.
Honestly, this area is one in which I wish I had wingnut-level fanaticism because they can harp on this shit with relentless vehemence. Even if it weren’t true. How do they do it?
Michael
In the days leading up to the Revolution, I certainly hope that the Kochs have to start scanning the undersides of their cars with mirrors, looking for IEDs before taking even the most mundane trip.
I like to think of them having to balance out their power broking with a little abject terror for the period of time leading up the moment when they get to provide the decoration on a pockmarked wall.
Comrade Kevin
Freeze, hit the deck!
Yes, when you see “Reason Magazine”, think “Koch”.
Gunner Billy K
I liked you better when you were Arkon.
DBrown
These congress f-er’s sell their souls cheap … they must be close friends with the pope.
Hart Williams
@Kryptik:
Yeah, well you know how those fancy pants scientists are always driving around in their Mercedes, picking up the hot chicks to fly them up to Nova Scotia to watch the total eclipse of the sun.
Those danged wealthy scientists! I can see how that burns up the populist media, always looking out for the little guy.
Alex S.
I have never understood the need to invent conspiracy theories when there are very real conspiracies before our very eyes. And they are not executed by bottom-up organizations who get kicked out of business by a fake undercover video, but by industrial conglomerates and banks.
Napoleon
What I find particularly funny about Koch funding climate denialism is that I am pretty sure they also support some of PBS Nova’s, or some similar shows, programing because recently I was watching something involving evolution on it and they were the funders.
Mumphrey
All right, there’s one thing I’ve wondered for a long time, now.
These right wing companies shell out all kinds of millions to fight whatever the latest liberal outrage of the the week might be. My understanding has always been that they do this so they won’t be taxed to death or taxed out of business, or whichever hyperbole they choose. But they throw around so much money already, I’ve always wondered why they don’t just save the wingnut welfare money and try to be good citizens and pay their taxes instead.
I’m sure I’m just hopelessly naive, and a big dumb ol’ extra special stupid idiot to boot, for wondering this, but, damn, what a waste of money…
Mumphrey
@ Gypsy Howell
“This is totally OT, but it’s now indisputable fact – Blue States men have bigger dicks than Red States men.”
Even better, Wyoming came in dead last! And guys from Dallas came in last among cities. No wonder people from Cheney and Bush were such assholes. They had themselves an issue…
zulif mclaren
The Koch family also happens to be the major funder of the tea party movement, which turns out to be an astroturfed scam.
Source: Washington Post article links Freedomworks, Tea Party movement, Koch family.
And guess who was one of the four founders of the John Birch society back in the 1950s? Yes indeedy…the Koch family.
These guys go way back.
HT
Count me as one of the Koch-knockers! I hope those investigating Koch tease out some more damning information.
Wile E. Quixote
That’s Mister McArdle to you, bub.