I"m at the gym on the bike, I usually read a good novel but today I was listening to an old broadcast of Thom Hartmann that I had recorded from his archives. (free I might add)
"Koch" industries (pronounced "coke"), became the subject for discussion.
I am AMAZED I have never heard of this company, AMAZED this has not gotten more exposure even from progressive blogs.
In 2004 they were the leading campaign contributers from all oil concerns, they operate under the radar because it's privately owned, only they and the IRS know much about their operation.
IT IS THE SECOND LARGEST PRIVATE COMPANY IN AMERICA
*and I didn't even know it existed till today*
From the link I posted fade to
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.
Among those groups are some of the country's most prominent conservative and libertarian voices including the Cato Institute, the Reason Foundation, Citizens for a Sound Economy and the Federalist Society. All regularly beat the drum in official Washington for the causes the Koch's hold dear—minimal government, deregulation, and free market economics./snip
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.
In late 2000—as the Clinton Administration was preparing to leave office—Koch was hit with a 97-count indictment for covering up the discharge of more than 15 times the legal limit of benzene, a carcinogen, from a refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The company faced penalties of more than $350 million. Four Koch employees were also charged individually and faced up to 35 years in prison.
Three months after the Bush administration took office—and just before the lawsuit went to trial—the Justice Department abruptly settled the case. Koch agreed to pay $20 million and plead guilty to a single count of concealment of information. In return, the Justice Department dropped all criminal charges against Koch and the four employees. Full article here:
http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/4068
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