Reply #3: Koch Industries just bought Georgia Pacific- Bush's sister married to Koch [View All]

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http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2005/11/328927.shtml

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BOB WILLIAMS
A project manager at the Center for Public Integrity, Williams is co-author
of the report "Koch's Low Profile Belies Political Power: Private Oil
Company Does Both Business and Politics With the Shades Drawn." Williams
said today: "Koch is a huge company -- bigger than Microsoft, but few people
have heard of it. It is very politically active, in campaign contributions,
lobbying and, probably most importantly, founding and funding right-leaning
libertarian think tanks. ... Both industries have
environmental challenges. Koch is very solicitous of its many friends in
Washington; and when it gets in an environmental bind, it is not shy about
calling on those friends in Washington."

The 2004 report noted: "Despite its size and political largess, Koch is able
to dodge the limelight because it is privately held, meaning that nearly all
of its business dealings are known primarily only by the company and the
Internal Revenue Service."

"Although it is both a top campaign contributor and spends millions on
direct lobbying, Koch's chief political influence tool is a web of
interconnected, right-wing think tanks and advocacy groups funded by
foundations controlled and supported by the two Koch brothers."

"Koch has had plenty of run-ins with government regulators and other legal
problems in recent years. Through it all, the company has shown a remarkable
knack for getting criminal charges dropped and huge potential penalties
knocked down."

"Koch has also shown a remarkable ability to get rid of or modify
environmental policies and other government rules it doesn't like."


more on the Koch brothers/think tanks here. Heard of the CATO Institute or Citizens for a Sound Economy?? Funded by Koch..

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Koch_family's_charitable_foundations