Koch Industry Event Attendees Have Donated $35M To Political Causes

The publication of an invitation that Koch Industries sent to top conservatives for a private strategy session in January lifted the curtain, however slightly, on the deep-pocketed funders betting on the Republican Party's re-emergence.

Among the list of invitees were think-tank types, private equity titans, energy conglomerates, and media personalities -- all partaking in a forum "to counter the most severe threats facing our free society and outline a vision of how we can foster a renewal of American free enterprise and prosperity."

But exactly how deep are their pockets? The good-government group Campaign Money Watch ran the names of those who attended Koch Industries' most recent gathering in June 2010 and found that they have contributed at least $35 million to federal candidates, parties, and political committees over the past 20 years.

Coming from a pool of roughly 210 attendees, the total is still a remarkable figure (only 36 on the list had no record of donating). That said, more than $15 million of the $35 million came from just ten attendees. Not all of the money went to Republicans. The Koch brothers, for instance, have given a small portion of their political donations to Democrats. But a vast majority was directed at the GOP. And in releasing its finding, Campaign Money Watch makes the assertion -- not illogically -- that Koch Industries and its guests are likely aiding some of the anonymous ad campaigns that are dominating the current electoral cycle.

"If you want to know the secret donors behind the corporate front groups flooding our elections this year, look no further," said David Donnelly, director of Campaign Money Watch. "They may try to skulk around the shadows during this election season, but they are far from unknown to Republican candidates and party committees."

Below are the top ten donors

• David and Julia Koch -- Koch Industries --2,244,480
• Dick Farmer -- Cintas Corporation --2,079,291
• John Childs -- J.W. Childs and Associates --2,016,350
• Stan and Karen Hubbard -- Hubbard Broadcasting --1,383,720
• Foster Friess -- Friess Associates LLC --1,379,381
• Rich and Helen DeVos -- Amway --1,276,559
• John and Joan Hotchkis -- Ramajal LLC --1,083,555
• Jack and Rose Marie Anderson -- Culver Corp. --1,078,930
• Fred and Marlene Malek -- Thayer Capital Partners --1,034,380
• Ken and Anne Griffin -- Citadel Investment Group --877,210
• Jim and Dorothy Patterson -- Gulf Stream Petroleum --839,580

Total -- $15,293,436

Comments

[brucezmajors]

10:02 AM on 10/23/2010

Maybe if George Soros gave Koch Industries money then he could fire Scalia and Thomas?

[PC Contrarian]

02:21 PM on 10/22/2010

I keep looking for a mention of billionaire Soros funding the left,
when HuffPost covers the Koch Bros.
Have I missed something here?
There's no coverage of Soros funding HP either.
What happened to transparency on the left;
or do you just demand it from the right?
More blatant double standards.

[rshrink]

10:36 PM on 10/22/2010

Soros isn't training corporations to send jobs out of the country. Soros isn't forcing coal plants on the people when they don't want it. Soros wasn't getting fined left and right for polluting. Soros is laundering money by giving it to the Chamber of Commerce to promote the Koch causes. Any questions?

[PC Contrarian]

12:18 PM on 10/24/2010

I could mention all sorts of things the Koch brothers aren't doing, like you mentioned what Soros isn't doing; but that's not the point. The point was political contributions by billionaires. Why not mention what Soros actually does? What is he funding and why? How has he earned his money, and what damage has he created in currency markets?

[Starhunter]

12:55 PM on 10/22/2010

One industry as opposed to all the Unions? Where's the problem?

[mixpiklix]

01:28 PM on 10/22/2010

no problem if you don't like your freedom and don't love your country and like slavery but if you value freedom and America it's beyond a huge problem.But by your alliance to the koch bros. i figure you must be a mega millionaire to.

[Countess]

12:46 PM on 10/22/2010

These are the real rulers of America!

[lea171]

12:43 PM on 10/22/2010

Oooooooooooooo, only the shadow knows. Whoever came up with that new talking point shadowy makes it sound like some bad B movie from 1960.

[nypapajoe]

12:20 PM on 10/22/2010

The filthy rich conservative right only goal is to get richer! Our demise as a result of the outsourcing and foreign intervention in our politics is of no concern to them! The reblicans have been paid to continue to create legislation that will enable the rich to avoid paying their fair share of taxes and financial regulations! The proof is in the millions that have been handed to the republican party to spew their propaganda of hate and fear! Let us not forget that it was the people that voted for Obama and the ultra conservative right hate the idea of a Black man in the White House! The conservative right want to maintain power and their profit margin! Let's disrupt their plans of controlling our economy and politics by voting them out of office! We can do it we have no choice cause we can't afford to exist under their rigid regime! These conservatives are disparate just look at the millions that they are spending it's an investment and they want their returns in cash profits!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SeekerOne]

09:55 AM on 10/22/2010

Good to know the Kingens of Red Robin "restaurant" is on the list: https://www.truthout.org/memo-health-insurance-banking-oil-industries-met-with-koch-chamber-glenn-beck-to-plot-2010-election6

Will never go there again.

[PARepublican]

06:47 AM on 10/22/2010

"The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is now the biggest outside spender of this year's elections, dropping a total of $87.5 million to help fortify the Democrats' hold on Congress."

Chamber of Who???

[frederick10]

11:22 AM on 10/22/2010

Pa Republican where did you get those figures !!!!

[WoolStreet]

04:13 AM on 10/22/2010

The same Koch Brothers who own Georgia Pacific and made billions upon billions selling drywall and plywood during Bush's fraudulent housing boom?

[amber15]

02:52 AM on 10/22/2010

actually the sad part is that the tipping pint of the masses have been brainwashed into thinking a vote for a republican will help them when it is actually pushing us all towards the brink of disaster....

[marilyn 63]

02:33 AM on 10/22/2010

can you believe the supreme court justices. helping the koch brother billionaires buy America . for the highest bidders. and the tea-republicans are helping them with their insane platforms

[brainfire]

01:37 AM on 10/22/2010

Money can't buy you Luv...can only get you laid or screwed :-/

[mcmutter]

01:25 AM on 10/22/2010

KOCH BOYS dream about being the biggest polluters in Amerika ....

After all .... its the commoners that drink the polluted water they certainly don't .......

[Jim Pasterczyk]

01:06 AM on 10/22/2010

'all partaking in a forum "to counter the most severe threats facing our free society and outline a vision of how we can foster a renewal of American free enterprise and prosperity."' Why do I get the feeling they're more interested in the business aspects of this mission statement over its individual civil rights aspects? Oh yeah, that's right, it's the difference between libertarians and liberals.

[sus2222]

01:00 AM on 10/22/2010

So the Dems are mad because a corporupt Supreme Court allowed "person" status to companies and OK'ed massive contribution$ to political campaigns without much oversight at all. Now we have to suffer through 10 more days of Television tainted with two many obtuse tawdry taunts.
IF we watched TV more ( DOUBLE) for the next few days they would make more money and charge the political advertisers MORE MONEY.
So , if everyone turns off the networks for 10 days, do they make less money???

PS: spell-check OK'ed .