Koch

Koch Industries, Inc. (pronounced like "coke"), based in Wichita, Kansas, is a giant diverse corporation specializing in the oil, chemical, and mining industries. It has an annual turnover of around $35 billion (2002). The corporation was formed in 1946 by Fred Koch and is involved with a number of subsidiary products, such as: asphalt, fertilizers, fibers, minerals, natural gas, petroleum, plastics, ranching, and securities. Koch Industries is now under the joint administration of Charles and David H. Koch.

Political activity
The Koch brothers also operate the Koch Family Foundations, a major source of funding for conservative and libertarian political causes in the United States, including think tanks such as Citizens for a Sound Economy and the Cato Institute. (Their father had helped found the John Birch Society). David's political activism also includes running as the vice presidential nominee of the United States Libertarian Party in 1980, when he and running mate Edward Clark finished fourth with 921,299 votes.

The group Americans for Prosperity currently acts as the political arm of the company, formed as a successor to Citizens for a Sound Economy. Although the groups are nominally separate, they share numerous members, directors, missions, and even addresses. Wayne Gable, for instance, is a member of the board of directors of Americans for Prosperity, and is simultaneously the managing director of the lobbying wing of Koch Industries. Previously he served as president of Citizens for a Sound Economy. Mitchell Pfotenhauer serves as the president for Americans for Prosperity, and was previously the head of Koch's lobbying wing, and executive vice president of Citizens for a Sound Economy. She also serves as president of the Independent Women's Forum, a political organization run out of the same office.

Americans for Prosperity recently created the group Rock the Hypocrisy, dedicated to attacking the Rock The Vote organization for being too partisan. In 2003, the group paid House Majority Leader Dick Armey $429,583 for consulting services.

Criticism
In 1989, the US Senate Committee on Investigations stated, "Koch Oil, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, is the most dramatic example of an oil company stealing by deliberate mismeasurement and fraudulent reporting." (Palast p.150) During the Clinton administration, Koch was charged with 315 acts of pollution. Koch Industries denied the allegations, but the cases were settled in January 2000 for $35 million in fines.

In another instance, Koch was charged with 97 counts of covering up evidence in the case of a benzene spill in Corpus Christi, Texas. The government sought fines as high as $350 million. Four of their employees were also charged with criminal offenses in the case, facing up to 35 years in prison. Just before the case went to trial - only three months after the Bush administration took office - the Justice Department suddenly settled for $20 million. Koch pled guilty to one count of concealing evidence, and the criminal charges against the employees were dropped. (Center for Public Integrity -- Williams et al., July 2004)

There is also speculation that these charges, brought against the company during the Clinton administration, were politically motivated against the then Texas governor Bush, to allegedly demonstrate his state's failure to handle big energy. The judge eventually dismissed 93 of the counts prior to going to trial due to lack of evidence, resulting in the Justice Department settling the case as noted above.

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Political activity
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source of funding koch for conservative and libertarian heckler and house political 223 causes in the United koch States, including billy think tanks such as Citizens for a Sound Economy and
koch the koch Cato Institute. (Their father koch had helped found the John Birch Society). David's political activism also includes running as the
vice presidential nominee of the
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finished fourth with 921,299 koch votes.

The koch materials koch group battle Americans for Prosperity currently acts as the koch political arm of decision the company, koch messer formed as a foundation successor to Citizens for poultry a Sound Economy. koch Although the groups are nominally kenneth koch brook separate, they koch share numerous members, directors, missions, koch heckler and even addresses. Wayne industry Gable, hechler for
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Americans for Prosperity recently originals koch
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being too partisan. heckler In 2003, and the cindy group and paid House Majority coolers
Leader Dick Armey $429,583 adam for consulting services.

Criticism
In 1989, the US Senate koch
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koch most m8 dramatic example of an oil company stealing by deliberate mismeasurement and fraudulent reporting." (Palast p.150) During the koch heckler Clinton administration, Koch was department charged
with 315 acts of pollution. Koch Industries denied the allegations, thomas but the cases pennsylvania magazines dealers were settled in
January george 2000 for $35 million in fines.

In another instance, william Koch
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The koch government sought koch fines as high as heckler $350 million. Four of their employees were also charged with
criminal offenses in the case, facing up to 35 years in jason prison.
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There is also firearms speculation that these charges, edwin brought militia against the company during the Clinton administration, were politically heckler motivated pouch against koch the entertainment then Texas governor Bush, to allegedly demonstrate his state's failure g3 to koch handle big energy. heckler the The judge eventually snowflake dismissed 93 oil of the pouch counts prior to going to trial due to lack of industrial evidence, resulting in the Justice
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