Charles Koch, the dominant player in his political partnership with brother David Koch, told attendees at a bi-annual donor retreat at a luxury resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado: “At this point, I can’t support either candidate” for the White House. The exclusive gathering at the foot of the Rocky Mountains is open to donors who promise to give at least $100,000 each year to Koch-approved groups.
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But Mr Holden said last Saturday that the network has no plans to run an explicit campaign opposing Mrs Clinton’s efforts to reach the White House, even after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s choice of IN governor Mike Pence, a Koch favourite, as his running mate: “We are going to differentiate on policies alone”.
The preoccupation throughout the conference with a “two-tiered society”, as billionaire industrialist Charles Koch repeatedly described it, shows how the economic anxieties powering the campaigns of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have redefined the American political conversation.
The use of the phrase “blood libel” is fraught with problems: the Anti-Defamation League defines it as “a centuries-old false allegation that Jews murder Christians – especially Christian children – to use their blood for ritual purposes, such as an ingredient in the baking of Passover matzah (unleavened bread)”. Indeed, although he previously admitted it’s “possible” Clinton is the best choice for president in November, he called the notion he would support her “bloodlibel”.
A group backed by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch is investing almost $4 million in an advertising campaign attacking Democrats in three top Senate contests.
On Sunday, Koch said the network’s priorities would be to shape policy in Congress and support conservative leaders at the state level. “We’re not engaged on the presidential”.
The Koch network has created a web of policy and political groups with 1,600 employees in 38 states that coordinate to advance their limited government objectives. The network planned to invest heavily in the 2016 presidential contest, but sharply changed its course after Trump became the Republican standard-bearer.
U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump seeks at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. July 26, 2016.
So, make no mistake: While the Koch brothers have an ideological difference with Trump which they can not overlook – on free trade – the Republican Party is still theirs.
But he pointed out that a top Koch lawyer, Mark Holden, had met earlier in NY with Trump campaign staff.
“We are focused on the Senate”, Holden said.
The day before, Trump thumbed his nose at the Koch gathering from Twitter.
“I turned down a meeting with Charles and David Koch”, the NY billionaire tweeted.
“If they did [contribute to Trump], they would compromise their values and they would never be able to hold any politician accountable”, Busch said.
The weekend’s agenda featured a series of policy discussions and appearances from at least three governors, four senators and four members of the House of Representatives, including House Speaker Paul Ryan.
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Those yet to appear include Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, Colorado Sen.
