5 Facts About Mike Pence's Close Ties to the Koch Brothers Not Included in Jane Mayer’s New Yorker Article
This is a guest post by Scott Peterson from Checks and Balances Project.
If you’ve read Jane Mayer’s deep dive into the ties between the Koch Bros. and the Vice President, “The Danger of President Pence,” you’ll understand why it’s the high-water mark of reporting about their relationship.
Yet there are several facts that aren’t included in the New Yorker article. Here are five facts worth knowing in addition to her excellent work.
Fact #1: the No Climate Tax Pledge was a key tool for the Kochs to turn what had previously been a bipartisan issue into a weapon that ignores the science behind climate change and helps the bottom line of Koch Industries.
The No Climate Tax Pledge was issued by Americans for Prosperity, which is itself controlled by the Kochs and funded by them and their network of donor allies. The pledge claimed that it would “draw a line in the sand” to guard against “unrestrained growth in government at taxpayers’ expense hidden under the guise of environmental correctness.” Yet a climate tax that would tax fossil fuel carbon pollution has bipartisan support — even by Exxon — as the most efficient way to solve the problem of a rapidly heating planet.
Fact #2: David Koch’s Largest Personal Campaign Contributions Go to Mike Pence
Since signing the Pledge, David Koch has demonstrated his appreciation by giving more money to Mike Pence than any other candidate. This includes $200,000 to Mr. Pence when he ran for governor of Indiana (along with his running mate for Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann) in 2012, $100,000 to Pence individually in 2016 (before he “withdrew” to run for Vice President), and nearly $10,000 in political contributions from Koch Industries for his gubernatorial runs since 2011. These amounts do not include funding hidden through other sources, such as the Republican Gubernatorial Campaign Committee.
more>
https://www.desmogblog.com/2017/10/20/5-facts-about-mike-pence-s-close-ties-koch-brothers-not-included-jane-mayer-s-new-yorker-article
= new reply since forum marked as read