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| − | A '''Koch puppet''' is someone who adopts or modifies political positions due to a desire to receive some of the money flowing from the [[Koch brothers]]' wealthy network of organizations and co-donors. The Koch brothers' are estimated to have more money than [[Bill Gates]], and unlike Gates, the Koch brothers spend enormously on politics. | + | A '''Koch puppet''' is someone who adopts or modifies political positions due to a desire to benefit from [[dark money]] flowing from the [[Koch brothers]]' wealthy network of organizations and co-donors. The Koch brothers (one of the two brothers, David, died in 2019) are estimated to have more money than [[Bill Gates]], and unlike Gates, the Koch brothers spent enormously on politics and the [[Koch network]] continues to exert too much influence |
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| | Some Koch puppets are exposed by campaign or lobbying disclosure requirements, but most them are secret recipients—or wannabe recipients—of Koch funding. '''''As [[talk radio]] has declined, most national talk radio hosts have become Koch puppets based on prior or hoped-for funding by the Koch brothers'''''. | | Some Koch puppets are exposed by campaign or lobbying disclosure requirements, but most them are secret recipients—or wannabe recipients—of Koch funding. '''''As [[talk radio]] has declined, most national talk radio hosts have become Koch puppets based on prior or hoped-for funding by the Koch brothers'''''. |
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| | At the state level, Koch puppets promote the [[Convention of States]], which advances the Koch brothers' dream of rewriting the [[U.S. Constitution]]. At the federal level, Koch puppets are typically [[anti-Trump]]. They typically take instructions from the [[Koch brothers]] concerning replacement of the [[Affordable Care Act]]. | | At the state level, Koch puppets promote the [[Convention of States]], which advances the Koch brothers' dream of rewriting the [[U.S. Constitution]]. At the federal level, Koch puppets are typically [[anti-Trump]]. They typically take instructions from the [[Koch brothers]] concerning replacement of the [[Affordable Care Act]]. |
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| − | Because the Koch brothers are [[pro-choice]] [[globalist]]s, Koch puppets are likely to betray conservatives when it counts most, as Koch-supported Rep. Renee Elmers (R-NC) did. | + | Because the Koch brothers are [[pro-abortion]] and [[globalist]]s, Koch puppets are likely to betray conservatives when it counts most, as Koch-supported Rep. Renee Elmers (R-NC) did. |
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| | Almost no groups have yet publicly disavowed funding from the [[Koch network]], but some [[conservative]] groups have spoken out against the influence and stood up against many bad items in the Koch agenda. | | Almost no groups have yet publicly disavowed funding from the [[Koch network]], but some [[conservative]] groups have spoken out against the influence and stood up against many bad items in the Koch agenda. |
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| | The following public officials are Koch puppets who attempt to advance the agenda of the [[Koch brothers]], often without publicly admitting it:<ref>http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-koch-senate-health-care-bill-20170624-story.html</ref> | | The following public officials are Koch puppets who attempt to advance the agenda of the [[Koch brothers]], often without publicly admitting it:<ref>http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-koch-senate-health-care-bill-20170624-story.html</ref> |
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| | + | *[[Florida]] Gov. [[Ron DeSantis]] - lavishly funded by the [[Koch network]] yet failed to help [[Herschel Walker]] in his tight race in next-door [[Georgia]] in 2022. |
| | *Vice President [[Mike Pence]] - met secretly with [[Charles Koch]] on June 23, 2017, concealing it from Pence's publicly released schedule. | | *Vice President [[Mike Pence]] - met secretly with [[Charles Koch]] on June 23, 2017, concealing it from Pence's publicly released schedule. |
| − | *U.S. Senator [[Ben Sasse]] (R-NE) | + | *U.S. Senator [[Ben Sasse]] (R-NE) - quit the [[U.S. Senate]] to take a $10M contract with unusual benefits as [[University of Florida]], perhaps facilitated by Gov. DeSantis or his top staffers as part of the [[Koch network]] |
| | *U.S. Senator [[Ted Cruz]] (R-TX) | | *U.S. Senator [[Ted Cruz]] (R-TX) |
| | *U.S. Senator [[Mike Lee]] (R-UT) | | *U.S. Senator [[Mike Lee]] (R-UT) |