A Reintroduction to the Climate Denying Duo Known as the Koch Brothers

The Koch brothers use the media to promote their climate denying circus of lies. Here is a succinct summary of their environment killing crusade.

The Koch Brothers

Koch Industries is the second largest privately held company in America and the company’s owners Charles and David Koch are tied as the fifth wealthiest people in the nation, worth a combined $43 billion. They earned their fortunes through a host of climate change causing industries including oil refining, ranching, mining, paper products, fertilizer, and chemicals. They own companies like Georgia Pacific, Invista, Koch Pipeline Company, Flint Hill Resources , Koch Fertilizer and Matador Cattle Company. If you shop for toilet paper, beef, and fuel you are likely to be indirectly funding the most successful climate change denial machine of the 21st century.

Koch Media Stooges

Glenn Beck was guest of honor at the Koch’s semiannual event early this year. Other attendees included Philip Anschutz, owner of the Examiner newspapers and the Weekly Standard; Charles Krauthammer, syndicated columnist and Weekly Standard contributor; Stephen Moore, Wall Street Journal editorial board member; and Ramesh Ponnuru, senior editor for The National Review.

Buying Climate Denial Controversy

The Kochs have spent $31.3 million since 2005 on organizations that deny or downplay climate change because they have a vested interest in ignoring environmental conerns.

Their campaign of denial includes support for the blog Planet Gore. The Koch brothers also weild their influence by financing the work of organizations like the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI).

The Koch’s have provided financial support for numerous climate denial front organizations. The Cato Institute has received $13 million from Koch family foundations since 1998. The National Review’s Jim Manzi is part of the Manhattan Institute which has received $1.5 million in Koch family money, Phil Kerpen of Americans for Prosperity has accepted $5.5 million from the Kochs, Jonathan Adler of the Federalist Society has been the beneficiary of $2 million in Koch money, and the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy (PRI) has received $1.2 million in Koch money.