New Report Finds Shadowy Donors Trust Hides Millions in Anti-Science Funds From Koch Bros and Friends
Posted: 10/29/2012 2:00 pm

A new report released last week on DeSmogBlog unravels a scheme that funnels money from the notorious Koch Brothers and the reclusive Chicago industrialist Barre Seid through a third party organization, which in turn makes anonymous donations in the millions to right-wing policy think-tanks.

In a nutshell, the 200+ page report by Silicon valley scientist Dr. John Mashey shows in great detail how the Koch brothers and Barre Seid flow money through two organizations called Donor Trust and Donors Capital Fund, which in turn passes that money on to major right-wing think-tanks like the American Enterprise Institute, Heartland Institute and Americans for Prosperity.

This money is then used for coordinated efforts to fight things like environmental regulations and the scientific realities of climate change.

In total over $311 million has been put through the Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund with much of that coming from David and Charles Koch and Barre Seid.

Here's a summary of findings:

- The report presents evidence that confirms the speculation that Chicago Industrialist Barre Seid has pumped millions into the Heartland Institute's "global warming projects" to boost their efforts to fight climate change science [page 57].

- Money from Barre Seid was pushed through Donors Trust to funded a major expansion of the Heartland Institute to help in their public relations efforts to deny the realities of climate change.

- Shows how the majority of the Donors Capital Board is made up of right wing think tanks heads that also were heavily involved in the fight for Big Tobacco in the 1990's

- Exposes another philanthropic vehicle established by the Koch Brothers called the "Knowledge and Progress Fund" - this fund has moved over $7m through Donors Trust [page 71].

- All funds that go through Donors Trust become tax deductions for the donors with much of that money going to political causes and policy fights.

- Other major recipients of Donors Trust money are: Americans for Prosperity, American Enterprise Institute, Acton Institute, Cato Institute, Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy and the Media Research Center.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-grandia/new-report-finds-shadowy-_b_2017779.html