Scott Walker, Koch Brothers, Scott Walker, Koch Brothers, Scott Walker...

...Koch brothers, Scott Walker, Koch brothers, Scott Walker!!!

This used to be a sarcastic joke directed at liberals. "Stand with Walker" drones were always chiding them for never failing to bring up, and blame, the Koch's for everything. Well guess what, the jokes on them now.

Charles G. and David H. Koch, the influential and big-spending conservative donors, appear to have a favorite in the race for the Republican presidential nomination: Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin.

Scott Walker, Koch brothers, Scott Walker, Koch brothers, is getting a lot of media attention, including this from All in with Chris Hayes. Sam Seder found it funny how Republican candidates are openly pairing up with millionaires/billionaires in their quest for the White House.

Scott Walker, Koch brothers, Scott Walker, Koch brothers wanted to clarify something once this news hit the fan:

David Koch afterward reached out to the Observer to clarify that he had not yet selected which candidate he and his brother would back.

“While I think Governor Walker is terrific, let me be clear, I am not endorsing or supporting any candidate for president at this point in time,” Mr. Koch told the Observer.

UPDATE: Contradicting the above comment by David Koch and reports that they're steering clear of spending any money on the GOP primary:

Politico: Charles and David Koch are considering throwing their massive wealth into the Republican presidential primary for the first time … In another surprise, a top Koch aide revealed to POLITICO that Jeb Bush will be given a chance to audition for the brothers’ support, despite initial skepticism about him at the top of the Kochs’ growing political behemoth.

Our Modern Day Stone Age Family, the Koch's.

Believe it or not, we've been seeing the moderate side of the Koch brothers political agenda. 

After looking at the Libertarian Party platform from 1980, where David Koch ran as the vice presidential candidate, it's obvious we're not dealing with mature adults with any sense of responsibility. They are adolescent bullies free to do whatever, with no supervision. To support a candidate based on a few of the ideological points below supports the passage of every point below. We would have nothing left to hold up a functioning society, or for that matter, a consumer class. It's a wonder they still live in the U.S..

Prepare to be amazed:

“We urge the repeal of federal campaign finance laws, and the immediate abolition of the despotic Federal Election Commission.” 

“We favor the abolition of Medicare and Medicaid programs.” 

“We oppose any compulsory insurance or tax-supported plan to provide health services, including those which finance abortion services.” 

“We also favor the deregulation of the medical insurance industry.” 

“We favor the repeal of the fraudulent, virtually bankrupt, and increasingly oppressive Social Security system. Pending that repeal, participation in Social Security should be made voluntary.” 

“We propose the abolition of the governmental Postal Service. The present system, in addition to being inefficient, encourages governmental surveillance of private correspondence. Pending abolition, we call for an end to the monopoly system and for allowing free competition in all aspects of postal service.” 

“We oppose all personal and corporate income taxation, including capital gains taxes.”

“We support the eventual repeal of all taxation.” 

“As an interim measure, all criminal and civil sanctions against tax evasion should be terminated immediately.” 

“We support repeal of all law which impede the ability of any person to find employment, such as minimum wage laws.” 

“We advocate the complete separation of education and State. Government schools lead to the indoctrination of children and interfere with the free choice of individuals. Government ownership, operation, regulation, and subsidy of schools and colleges should be ended.” 

“We condemn compulsory education laws … and we call for the immediate repeal of such laws.” 

“We support the repeal of all taxes on the income or property of private schools, whether profit or non-profit.” 

“We support the abolition of the Environmental Protection Agency.” 

“We support abolition of the Department of Energy.” 

“We call for the dissolution of all government agencies concerned with transportation, including the Department of Transportation.” 

“We demand the return of America's railroad system to private ownership. We call for the privatization of the public roads and national highway system.” 

“We specifically oppose laws requiring an individual to buy or use so-called "self-protection" equipment such as safety belts, air bags, or crash helmets.” 

“We advocate the abolition of the Federal Aviation Administration.” 

“We advocate the abolition of the Food and Drug Administration.” 

“We support an end to all subsidies for child-bearing built into our present laws, including all welfare plans and the provision of tax-supported services for children.” 

“We oppose all government welfare, relief projects, and ‘aid to the poor’ programs. All these government programs are privacy-invading, paternalistic, demeaning, and inefficient. The proper source of help for such persons is the voluntary efforts of private groups and individuals.”

“We call for the privatization of the inland waterways, and of the distribution system that brings water to industry, agriculture and households.” 

“We call for the repeal of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.” 

“We call for the abolition of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.” 

“We support the repeal of all state usury laws.”

David and Charles Koch not the rugged free market individuals they say they are? Inherited Wealth makes for Big Talkers.

The free spending Koch brothers are like every other self righteous conservative who thinks they're entitled to a few extra benefits in life than everyone else. Inheriting wealth is one hell of a way to get a jump on everyone else. 

But do the Koch's walk-the-walk, and live by the same ideological political agenda pushed by their front groups like Americans for Prosperity? Even that names comes across like a sneering inside joke on seniors and low information voters.

The National Memo pointed out the Koch hypocrisy below with a list of 4 handouts they have no problem accepting:

1. In the midst of campaigning against the Affordable Care Act, the Koch brothers still managed to reap benefits from the new health care law. Koch Industries of having received subsidies under the Affordable Care Act’s temporary Early Retiree Reinsurance Program … the Associated Press confirmed … Koch Industries received $1.4 million in early retiree subsidies, which are meant to compensate employers who have to provide insurance for employees who retire before becoming eligible for Medicare.

2. Though the Koch brothers … outspoken critics of welfare programs that tend to help the poor and disabled … have aggressively lobbied for taxpayer handouts for Koch Industries refineries — the primary form of corporate welfare. Additionally, according to a ThinkProgress report, a failing Koch Industries oil refinery based in Fairbanks, Alaska once asked then-governor Sarah Palin’s administration for the type of taxpayer-funded bailout that libertarians routinely decry.

3. Despite advocating for a laissez-faire economic system, the Koch brothers obtained massive government contracts that allowed Koch Industries to buy millions of barrels of crude oil from the Middle East – specifically from Iraq, during the U.S. occupation. Koch Industries has also benefited from billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies in the form of federal government contracts and awards – billions of dollars Koch Industries never declined to accept.

4. The Kochs have also benefited from an existing provision of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal program, which conservatives over the years have condemned as socialist. A Koch Industries subsidiary and cattle ranching company, Matador Cattle Company, actually uses one of the New Deal’s existing provisions — the Land Utilization Program —  to “profit off of federal land for free.”

Democrats campaign against "obscure" Koch brothers...who?!!!

The amazing piece of reporting below does all it can to make the Koch brothers influence seem petty and ridiculously small. How could these "obscure" brothers, who are publically unrecognizable, be so "significantly troubling?"

AP: Democratic Senate candidates ... are gambling they can turn voters against two billionaire brothers funding the attacks — even if few Americans would recognize the pair on the street … Democrats are denouncing Charles and David Koch, the key figures behind millions of dollars in conservative TV ads hammering Democratic candidates and their ties to President Barack Obama ... the Koch brothers, who rarely appear in public, are so significant and troubling that voters should reject the Republican candidates benefiting from their ads.

Who are these..."Coke" brothers, and why are liberals being so unfair?

Democrats depict the Kansas-based Koch (pronounced "Coke") brothers as self-serving oil barons who pay huge sums to try to "buy" elections and advance their agenda of low taxes and less regulation. And they're using unusually harsh language in the Senate.

Here's Politico's Mike Allen with a little talked about story about how the Koch's are doing their own ad campaigns now:



Here's the meak and mild Sen. Harry Reid:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: "I guess if you make that much money, you can make these immoral decisions. The Koch brothers are about as un-American as anyone I can imagine."

Republican Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas defended the Kochs and compared Reid's remarks to the communist-baiting tactics of Joseph McCarthy. "I can't imagine that's an effective tool," said Moran, who chairs the Senate Republicans' campaign committee.

Democratic pollster Geoff Garin says Americans, when given this basic information, believe the brothers are trying to elect a government that helps them at the expense of less wealthy people, who would fare better under Democratic policies.

Republican Richard Burr: "I don't think there's any resentment to a group or individual spending their money to tell people what's really going on."

What's REALLY going on? Give me a break. My conservative friend in Milwaukee sent me this: "WISN's Dan O'Donnell reports that the boogeymen of the left give just a tiny fraction of the money that employee unions have spent..." The problem is, the totals O'Donnell talked about dated back to 1989, and NOT just the last five years or so. Deceptive, sure, but that's how the game is played.

Here's Rachel Maddow's look at the Koch's early spending spree:

Here are the Koch highlights from the documentary "(Astro) Turf Wars."



Still more odds and ends:

Republicans note that liberal billionaires also spend heavily on politics … (like) environmentalist and hedge-fund manager Tom Steyer … Democrats say Steyer will not benefit financially by pushing his climate change agenda, whereas the Kochs' campaign ... would help big businesses like theirs.

Reid: "Think about what an America rigged by the Koch brothers would look like. The Koch brothers don't care about creating a strong public education system in America" … nor a "strong safety net of Medicare and Social Security" or "a guarantee of affordable, quality health insurance for every American. Why? Because the Koch brothers can afford to buy all those benefits and more for themselves. I'm going to keep talking about them every chance I get because America should not be for sale."

Matt Canter of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign committee: "We've done extensive polling ... Voters understand that Republicans are pushing a policy agenda that is good for their benefactors, the Koch brothers. The message we've tested does not rest on them knowing who Charles and David Koch are." In state after state, Democrats are berating the Kochs in speeches and fundraising appeals.

Koch industries spokesman Steve Lombardo defended the ads ... "it is unfortunate that Harry Reid is focused on attacking citizens of the United States rather than the problems facing this country." He said "I think the American people are smart and will see through this tactic," Lombardo said.

Who's attacking "citizens of the United States? 

Daily Show Reveals what America really thinks of the Koch Brothers....

"...kind of like getting endorsed by Charles Manson." Jason Jones nails it:

Walker's "Unintimidated" should be titled "Unexplainable."

The one thing I didn't expect to be a factor in the upcoming midterm gubernatorial election was Scott Walker's Achilles heel: Lying.

Not only is Walker going to have to defend his policy failures and horrific jobs performance, but now he's got to scramble trying to justify outright lying in his new novel, "Unintimidated." As a work of fiction, the book might be more successful. Heck, that's how the legend of Davy Crockett grew, from wildly imagined stories of heroism and courage,

But the media has changed since then, or maybe Walker hasn't noticed. From WKOW's Greg Neumann, a little bit of real world fact checking:

WKOW: Governor Scott Walker (R-Wisconsin) says he cannot yet comment on alleged discrepancies between what is reportedly published in his upcoming book and the recording of a phone conversation he had with a blogger posing as billionaire Republican donor David Koch on February 22, 2011.

During that conversation, Ian Murphy of the Daily Beast, who was posing as Koch, told Gov. Walker he was thinking about possibly planting some troublemakers into the crowd of thousands protesting Act 10 at the State Capitol.

"You know, the, well, the only problem with that — because we thought about that," replied Gov. Walker.  He went on to say, "My only fear would be is if there was a ruckus caused is that that would scare the public into thinking maybe the Governor has gotta settle to avoid all these problems."

Gov. Walker held a news conference on February 23^rd … “as you heard on the tape we dismissed it and said it was not a good idea," Gov. Walker said.

But according to an article that appeared in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Sunday, Gov. Walker tells a different version of the events in his new … "we never — never — considered putting 'troublemakers' in the crowd to discredit the protesters."

The Journal-Sentinel also reports that Walker writes he resisted taking the call, but did so because Koch's firm owns Georgia Pacific Corp., which has mills in Green Bay. He accepted the call "after a week or more of insistent pleas" from his staff.

But Ian Murphy told the Journal-Sentinel that isn't possible, because he made his initial call to Walker's office around 11:30 a.m. and by 2 p.m. that day was talking to Walker. "That's so insane, the buck-passing," Murphy told the Journal-Sentinel.

Walker: "Actually, per the publisher I can't comment on the book til the 19th (of November) when it comes out, but, it’s clear each of those, we can spell out where the details are," said Gov. Walker.

The Koch’s: The Bond like villain’s out to destroy the Middle Class now want Americans to give up health care insurance.

The Koch brothers have lots of money to do anything they want to achieve their selfish ideological ends. Even tell people not to buy insurance? Believe it or not, yes.

They’re not shy about their agenda either, having named their most visible group “Americans for Prosperity.” They, we're talking about the wealthy, are the Americans growing their prosperity. Over "95 percent of the income gains reported since 2009 have gone to the top 1 percent."-CNBC

Rachel Maddow pointed out last night how the Koch's have hired the guy who pushed government mandated vaginal ultrasounds in multiple states to run ads against government mandated health care. That confusing message is just what the Koch's are counting on. Love the scary Uncle Sam ad too:

In a related local story, the Koch's are portrayed as just another manufactured target of the liberal left. What are Democrats afraid of, success? The fact that the Koch's have $72 billion of "free speech" wealth to spend on corporate Ayn Randian propaganda should send up a few red flags, even for staunch conservatives.

Cap Times: The latest: Politico reports the Kochs have been operating a secret “bank” that doled out a quarter of a billion dollars to various conservative causes and political groups last year.

“Freedom Partners is organized under the same section of the Tax Code as a trade association, a 501(c)6, which allows the group to conceal its donors from public release, although the amounts and recipients of its major grants are public.”

So imagine my surprise, which wasn't much of a real surprise, when I came across this upside down comment from David “blowhard” Blaska:

 “ALEC, of course, shares the liberal dunking pond with the Koch Brothers, Fox News, the Bradley Foundation, WMC, Karl Rove and Scott Walker — the mere mention of which draw sustained hissing and huffing from true blue fisters.”

That’s right, they’re all just innocent bystanders.

Of course Blaska’s party filled their own dunking pond with blue fisters, unionistas, liberal Madison, activist judges, smug elitists, Moveon.org and George Soros. But they don't count David?

Speaking of ALEC, I even asked my conservative friend in Milwaukee if he had heard of ALEC; he didn't. I think that might be true of many conservative voters. The conservative media is very good at filling their news with distractions.

Ryan attends Koch Secret Meeting! Why the Secrecy, what are they hiding?

No matter how bad secrecy sounds, Republicans aren't shy about cloaking themselves in it.

What are they hiding? Secrecy hides things.

Politico: Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan headline Koch summit: Rep. Paul Ryan, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor secretly spoke to wealthy donors at the Koch brothers’ recently concluded summer gathering on the outskirts of Albuquerque. (Ryan is a) return participant to the twice-annual seminar, which also drew wealthy donors and conservative non-profit leaders.

Secretly meeting with the Koch’s? Why? What secret plan is Ryan a part of? Check out this list of power brokers, politicians, pundits and Justices who have secretly huddled with one of the largest conservative free market contributors ever, and what are they getting in return for such secrecy?

Ryan has developed deep ties to Koch World, having appeared at multiple events for Americans for Prosperity, and delivering a major speech at the Kochs’ summer 2008 donor summit on his “fiscal ‘Roadmap for America’s future,’” Other past attendees include Supreme Court justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, media stars Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and the late Andrew Breitbart, Govs. Chris Christie of New Jersey, Bob McDonnell of Virginia and Rick Perry of Texas, and Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who has since resigned to head the Heritage Foundation, which has received funding from the Koch donor network.

Money does corrupt, and Ryan is secretly meeting with and taking that corruption. 

John Birch Society's Fred Koch made Millions helping Stalin build Power Plants!!!

The other day on WPR's Joy Cardin show, Claire Conner, author of Wrapped In the Flag: A Personal History of the Radical Right, filled us in on the John Birch Society and its current incarnation, the tea party.

Before there was the TEA Party, there was the John Birch Society. Joy Cardin's guest this hour can speak personally to the inner workings of the Society. Her parents were founding members. Learn about the similarities she sees between the John Birch Society of the 1950s and the TEA Party of today. 

Here's a shortened 7 minute clip from the hour long program that gets to the heart of the tea party movement and the ugly origin of the Koch family money. What's that about George Soros guys?

Walker, Kleefisch, Johnson, Duffy, Sensenbrenner, Darling, Grothman, Lazich, Kooyenga, Ott, Kramer, Pridemore, Ribble take Koch Brothers Pledge on Energy. Real Leaders?

What “rugged individual” exercising their liberty and freedom would want to run around making pledges to every right wing crazy group that comes along? Kinda blows their cover, doesn’t it?

Here’s part of a great article by Cap Times reporter Steve Elbow:

You’ve no doubt heard about Grover Norquist’s “Taxpayer Protection Pledge.” Well, there’s a new pledge in town, and several Wisconsin conservatives have signed on.

This pledge is called the “No Climate Tax Pledge,” but it might as well be called the “Koch Brothers Protection Pledge” … Signers of the pledge, now numbering 411, promise to "oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue” — in other words, no legislation on climate change without an equivalent amount of tax cuts. They include one U.S. senator from Wisconsin, three House members, four members of the state Senate, and four members of the Assembly — as well as Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.

The Koch brothers and their oil industry bretheren have been avid Walker backers and supporters of Wisconsin tea party candidates, both for ideological reasons and because of the state's wealth of frac sand. 

The little-known pledge was highlighted Monday with the release of a two-year study by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University, which documents Charles and David Koch's extensive influencing of politicians, news media, elections and academia through think tanks, lobbyists, non-profits, and oodles of cash.  (Here's a good story from The New Yorker on the report.)

Wisconsin signers of the pledge, all Republicans, are U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, U.S. Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner, Sean Duffy and Reid Ribble, state Sens. Leah Vukmir, Alberta Darling, Glenn Grothman and Mary Lazich, and state Reps. Dale Kooyenga, Don Pridemore, Jim Ott and Bill Kramer.

How bad and embarrassing is our partisan “Red” state now?

Since we're all fond of comparing Wisconsin with Minnesota, a demographically similar state that outperforms Wisconsin on several economic fronts, it merits noting that the only politicians from that state to sign the pledge are retiring U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachmann and Minnesota state Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen.

Not hiding it anymore, for Scott Walker, things go better with Koch.

With corporate power about to take control, Scott Walker knows he no longer has to go through all the trouble of hiding his tight and subservient connections to the brothers Koch.

jsonline: Gov. Scott Walker is the "special guest" at a New York City fundraiser Nov. 1 that is co-hosted by billionaire businessman and conservative activist David Koch, the Huffington Post reports today. Attendees paying $2,500 can get their photo taken with Walker at the luncheon fundraiser for the New York State Republican Party. Americans for Prosperity, a conservative foundation funded by David Koch and his brother Charles, paid for a pro-Walker TV ad campaign during the recall campaign against Walker.
 

Romney Flaunting Filthy Rich, Grotesquely Opulent lifestyle...get used to seeing it.

Remember how Republicans attacked John Kerry for his elitist penchant to sailboard?

Yet, Republicans are now okay with with Mitt Romney taking his jet ski out, or using a 150 foot yachting in the Cayman Islands during the convention to entertain the wealthy elite. Donors weren't embarrassed by their presence, but they also weren't about to give their name to ABC's Brian Ross.

I truly believe they want voters to get used to seeing the wealthy...oops, I mean entitled "job creators," planning and plotting our futures. They are the courageous leaders charged with making the tough decisions that most Americans, wouldn't think of making for themselves.

Brian Ross's report below should be breathtaking for most average Americans. To flaunt this kind of elitism at their own party's convention, when the press is out in force, would have been political suicide and unthinkable before Citizens United. Just as disappointing is the lack of coverage from MSNBC.

Dumb Ron Johnson panting like a puppy, seeking pat on head by David Koch.

Tip of the hat to Root River Siren, for finding the story and picture below of RoJo the Clown's dinner with David Koch. The married into money millionaire Johnson is like a kid in a candy store, soaking in his senatorial fame, whoring his political influence for the adoration of the monied elite. 

This picture of Johnson sitting at the left of god, offers an insight into who really really has the ear of our elected official. Oh, and don't forget to catch one of Johnson's aides listening sessions.    

TPM: Romney delegate from New York, conservative billionaire David Koch, dined with Sen. Ron Johnson at a restaurant in downtown Tampa Monday night. After a freelance reporter, Matt Laslo, snapped a photo of their table, an aide to Koch approached him and asked not to give away their location to "your 'Occupy' friends." 

Walker said out-of-state campaign donors had nothing to gain, accept $330 Million.

Wouldn’t it be great if states could disallow outside campaign money from influencing our elections?

It makes sense, doesn't it? In the story below, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign’s Mike McCabe pointed out just why that might be a good idea (probably not legal though):

McCabe says the final figure for the governor's race will be between $75 and $80 million double the record $37 million spent in the 2010 election. McCabe says 62 percent of Gov. Walker’s campaign contributions reported so far came from outside the state while Mayor Tom Barrett raised only 26 percent from out of state donors, "Most of that money came from people who couldn't vote in this election."

The Koch’s etc. can’t vote in our elections, so why should they be able to try like hell to influence it? We know why...check out this incredible return on their investment in Walker:

He says the deep pocket donors will spend that money because they expect a return on their investment from candidates in the form of government policies that will benefit them. He cites a recent report on the last legislative session that tracked $330 million in tax write-offs and government spending that flowed to donors who contributed a combined $24 million, “$24 million dollars went in and $330 million went back to those donors. You can't get that return on investment in the best bull market on Wall Street." 

Who's Going to Challenge Americans for Prosperity's Tax Exemption after Walker bus Tour?

It was so nice to have Rachel Maddow notice how strange it was to have, of all things, a Koch brothers bus tour in Wisconsin, just before the election...hey, it's just a coincidence?

The media here has been so numbed by Scott Walker's BS, criminal probe and crafty campaign, that we forgot to notice how blatant a tax violation this could be for Americans for (their own) Prosperity.

Amazing stuff:

Walker vs Doyle Jobs Numbers, and Walker Campaign Spokesperson Ciara Matthews Babbles Nonsensical.

It appears Mayor Tom Barrett is shooting a lot straighter on the jobs numbers than Scott Walker. By the way, why isn't Barrett asking Walker how many of those new jobs were created in Milwaukee?

Walker’s claim of helping create 35,000 jobs since taking office (although government doesn’t create jobs), is almost identical to the jobs created under former Governor Jim Doyle the previous year.

jsonline: But even when measured by the census, the instrument Walker favors, Wisconsin's recent economic performance, while better, is far from stellar. For September 2010 through September 2011 - the most recent year-over-year census data comparison available with all 50 states - Wisconsin ranks 26th, in the middle of the country as a whole and lagging behind its Midwestern neighbors.

For the period, which includes the last four months of former Gov. Jim Doyle's administration, the figures show Wisconsin added 36,561 jobs. During the same 12 months, Minnesota, with a labor force similar in size to Wisconsin, added more than 64,000.

In relative terms, Wisconsin employment grew by not quite 1.4%. Nationwide jobs, meanwhile, grew by 1.6%. Minnesota and Michigan added 2.5% and 2.4% respectively. Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Ohio also outstripped Wisconsin.

"Even using his numbers," Barrett said of Walker, "we're at the bottom of the Big Ten."

Walker campaign spokeswoman Ciara Matthews, meanwhile, said, "Governor Walker in just 15 short months has helped create an economic climate which allowed for the creation of more than 35,000 new jobs...

Speaking of Ciara Matthews, check out this raw video clip where she appears to be hypnotically caught up in a strangely idiotic talking point stupor:

At Jezebel.com, they wrote this about Scott Walker and Ciara Matthews:

In case you haven't noticed, Wisconsin's been fraught with untenable political tumultuousness since one-man Human Centipede Scott Walker was elected governor. He's bullied teachers, attacked gay couples' hospital visitation rights, signed a repeal of Wisconsin's equal pay law, and rolled back sex education to an innocent time when kids thought storks brought babies. But get ready for more high octane Crazy from the Arizona of the midwest — the communication coordinator for the embattled governor's impending recall election is a charming, colorful former Hooters waitress who would just love to have the opportunity to punch Hillary Clinton in the face.

Meet Ciara Matthews. According to AlterNet, she's a Republican attack dog type who has worked on the campaigns of such charming politicians as Sharron "When Life Gives You Lemons, Just Make Rape Lemonade" Angle and Nevada gubernatorial candidate Bob Beers. She'll be directing the tone of Walker's bid to avoid being recalled by a state full of people who don't like him.

And if past performance is indicative of future fun, the people of Wisconsin are in for a real treat. In the run up to the last Presidential election, Matthews maintained a blog that she's since deleted (but we've got screenshots) brimming with nutbaggery and, for a communications director, surprisingly inept attempts at coherent communication. From an entry entitled "A LETTER TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD,"

"You are advocating murder and one day Roe v. Wade will be overturned thanks to George W. Bush and the justices he put in the Supreme Court. The actions of Planned Parenthood and disgusting and I am sickened that my tax dollars are used to fund the immoral killing of innocent human babies!"

…profiting from selling a plasticized form of unnatural sexiness designed to arouse men while simultaneously believing that women should be forced to face the "consequences" of actually giving into to their sexual desires is a pretty backward way of thinking. 

The Koch Cancer spreads to Cato Institute.

Isn’t it ironic that David Koch, a big supporter of cancer research, has seen his brand of politics turn into the cancer that even conservative groups fear will kill them?

I’d like to see Scott Walker supporters defend the poor picked on Koch brothers now:

NY Times: From its perch in a spacious brand-new headquarters blocks from the White House, the Cato Institute has built on its reputation as a venerable libertarian research center unafraid to cross party lines. Now, however, a rift with one of its founding members — the billionaire conservative Charles Koch — is threatening the institute’s identity and independence, its leaders say, and is exposing fault lines over Mr. Koch’s aggressive and well-financed brand of Republican politics.

While Democrats have been criticized for claiming the Koch’s were putting in place lackey politicians and phony tea party organizations to kill public education and green energy, the Koch’s were also doing the same thing at the libertarian Cato Institute:

The rift has its roots, Cato officials said, in a long-simmering feud over efforts by Mr. Koch and his brother David Koch to install their own people on the institute’s 16-member board and to establish a more direct pipeline between Cato and the family’s Republican political outlets, including groups that Democrats complain have mounted a multimillion-dollar assault on President Obama. Tensions reached a new level with a lawsuit filed last week by the Kochs against Cato over its governing structure. “We can’t be perceived as a mouthpiece of special interests,” Robert A. Levy, chairman of Cato’s board, said in an interview. “The Cato Institute as we know it would be destroyed.”

Of course the Koch's have their familiar denial, the one they've given over and over again:

 “We support Cato and its work,” Mr. Koch said in a statement. “We are not acting in a partisan manner, we seek no ‘takeover,’ and this is not a hostile action.”

Of course not. They're not helping Scott Walker win the recall election either. It’s starting to look like Koch “conservatism” has become a raging cancer that may just kill its host, the Republican Party.

“This is an effort by the Kochs to turn the Cato Institute into some sort of auxiliary for the G.O.P.,” said Edward H. Crane, who is president of Cato and co-founded it with Charles Koch.

David Koch expects you to believe he wasn't speaking on behalf of himself, his brother, his industries, or Americans for Prosperity.

So when David Koch said to the Palm Beach Post late last month, "We're helping him, as we should. We've gotten pretty good at this over the years. We've spent a lot of money in Wisconsin. We're going to spend more," he was just offering an unrelated opinion. He did say “we” a number of times, but that didn’t include him?

Get ready to take the “down the rabbit hole” leap into wonderland:

jsonline: Mark Holden, Koch Industries' general counsel, and Missy Cohlmia, a Koch Industries spokeswoman, said Koch violated no law. "David Koch wasn't speaking on behalf of Koch Industries or his brother, and not speaking in his capacity as an Americans for Prosperity Foundation officer," Holden said. "He was referring generally to AFP, what the organization was doing and expressing his personal opinions regarding what was going on in Wisconsin. Under Wisconsin law, he is permitted to do that."

Why did he say "we?" He's permitted to do something, but that wasn’t what he was doing. And this whole David Koch thing, is so overblown.

Holden said, "We think it is more heat than light. We felt in general, when the story first arose in February, it was a false storyline." 

David and Charles Koch, Private Citizens and Victims, for using Americans for Prosperity illegally to Campaign for Candidates.

It seems the White House may have noticed David Koch's comments about helping Scott Walker get re-elected through his non profit "grassroots" organization Americans for Prosperity. The Obama campaign simply accused the Koch's using their power, influence and organizations to roll back environmental protections and block clean energy. But that's really a misdirection play.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin has challenged the Koch brothers in way that got their back sup, and they're striking back, with the help of Rupert Murdock's Fox News Network. In an outrageous moment of raw unbridled power, Fox News and Koch Industries got 7 minutes of time to mislead, lie and play the victim.

But unmentioned in the long list of accusations denied by the Koch spokesperson, is the current media admission by David that he was using  his non-profit group Americans for Prosperity illegally to help reelect Scott Walker. That's surprising, since the whole purpose of the interview with Megyn Kelly was to set up a straw man narrative that Obama is orchestrating an attack on the everyday corporate billionaires. But it's really about David's comments in the Palm Beach Post that he's gaming the system.

Pathological liar Nancy Pfotenhauer, a Koch spokesperson now, whines the White House is picking on the Koch's, using the weight of the government to silence them. But we know the real reason:

According to Philip Ellender, Public Affairs President of Koch Co in a letter to the Obama Campaign:

...it is inappropriate and beneath the office of the president to denounce an American company like our that employs 50,000 people here in the United States, malign its owners with repeated misstatements and distortions, and harass our effort to speak out just because you disagree with our consistent support for the principles of a free society. 

John Nichols: Why David Koch is Guilty of Illegally Using Americans for Prosperity to Campaign for Walker.

I heard John Nichols mention the following on Sly in the Morning, so I'm kind of glad he wrote about in the Nation, because it saves me the work of transcribing it: 

Billionaire campaign donor David Koch has rarely spoken in public about the central role he has played in the election of Scott Walker as governor of Wisconsin … But Americans for Prosperity and its foundation could not campaign openly for Walker or other candidates, as they are tax exempt organizations operating under laws that protect civic and educational charities.

So it was incredible when David Koch admitted in an interview with the Palm Beach Post that he planned to support Walker with spending by AFP. “We’re helping him, as we should,” Koch said of Walker. “We’ve gotten pretty good at this over the years. We’ve spent a lot of money in Wisconsin. We’re going to spend more.” The Post added: “By ‘we’ he says he means Americans for Prosperity, which is spending about $700,000 on an ‘It’s working’ television ad buy in the state.”

Could Koch really be admitting to a violation for the Internal Revenue Service code? On the Koch Industries website, a statement by Koch several days later said that: “as the Palm Beach Post story indicated, my comments concerning support for Governor Walker related solely to Americans for Prosperity and its activities in Wisconsin.”

Complaints have been filed with the IRS and the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board alleging—in the words of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin—“illegal use of tax exempt status by billionaire David Koch.” There is no question that, based on what Koch has said, the complaints are legitimate. 

There's more details in the story, so might want to check out the whole article.