We've been tracking Koch money for years.
This #EarthDay2022, don't let corporations tell you plastic straws are the problem. Koch's massive network has banked on climate chaos for decades.
Here is a greatest-hits timeline of Koch’s war on climate action.🧵
This #EarthDay2022, don't let corporations tell you plastic straws are the problem. Koch's massive network has banked on climate chaos for decades.
Here is a greatest-hits timeline of Koch’s war on climate action.🧵
1970s📍
Shortly after Charles Koch took control of his father’s oil refining empire in 1967...
a Union oil rig off the coast of Santa Barbara spills 80,000+ gallons of oil into the channel, leading to the first Earth Day on 4/22/1970.
Weeks later, Nixon creates the EPA.
Shortly after Charles Koch took control of his father’s oil refining empire in 1967...
a Union oil rig off the coast of Santa Barbara spills 80,000+ gallons of oil into the channel, leading to the first Earth Day on 4/22/1970.
Weeks later, Nixon creates the EPA.
1971📍
Tobacco lawyer Lewis Powell pens a secret blueprint for corporations to dominate US democracy.
Charles Koch writes that the Powell memo did not go far enough.
No one has played a longer or deeper role implementing this distorting vision.
kochdocs.org/2019/06/07/cha…
Tobacco lawyer Lewis Powell pens a secret blueprint for corporations to dominate US democracy.
Charles Koch writes that the Powell memo did not go far enough.
No one has played a longer or deeper role implementing this distorting vision.
kochdocs.org/2019/06/07/cha…
1970s📍
The right launches a slew of groups to remake public policy to favor the corporate interests that fund them (the Koch fortune has funded these for years):
1973: Heritage Foundation
1973: ALEC
1981: The Federalist Society
The right launches a slew of groups to remake public policy to favor the corporate interests that fund them (the Koch fortune has funded these for years):
1973: Heritage Foundation
1973: ALEC
1981: The Federalist Society
1970s📍
And Charles Koch creates several groups that advance his personal political agenda:
1969: Center for Independent Education
1973: Institute for Humane Studies
1977: Cato Institute
1979: Council for a Competitive Economy
1984: Citizens for a Sound Economy, now @AFPhq
And Charles Koch creates several groups that advance his personal political agenda:
1969: Center for Independent Education
1973: Institute for Humane Studies
1977: Cato Institute
1979: Council for a Competitive Economy
1984: Citizens for a Sound Economy, now @AFPhq
1980s📍
A Senate investigation produces evidence that Koch Industries stole oil from Native reservations.
This threat to their bottom line spurs Koch to ratchet up their political operation to control the GOP agenda & public opinion on fossil fuels.
politico.com/magazine/story…
A Senate investigation produces evidence that Koch Industries stole oil from Native reservations.
This threat to their bottom line spurs Koch to ratchet up their political operation to control the GOP agenda & public opinion on fossil fuels.
politico.com/magazine/story…
1991📍
Koch’s Cato Institute ran the first-ever climate denial conference just as George H.W. Bush announced support for a treaty limiting CO2 emissions.
See the flyer in detail here at @KOCHdocs:
kochdocs.org/2019/08/12/199…
Koch’s Cato Institute ran the first-ever climate denial conference just as George H.W. Bush announced support for a treaty limiting CO2 emissions.
See the flyer in detail here at @KOCHdocs:
kochdocs.org/2019/08/12/199…
1997📍
Koch groups help convince Sen. Chuck Hagel to co-sponsor a resolution preventing the U.S. from ratifying the Kyoto Protocols.
Hagel later said, “What we now know about some of these large oil companies...they lied. And yes, I was misled.”
progressive.org/latest/expose-…
Koch groups help convince Sen. Chuck Hagel to co-sponsor a resolution preventing the U.S. from ratifying the Kyoto Protocols.
Hagel later said, “What we now know about some of these large oil companies...they lied. And yes, I was misled.”
progressive.org/latest/expose-…
2008📍
Koch’s Americans for Prosperity (previously Citizens for a Sound Economy) ran the "Hot Air Tour", a nationwide roadshow that spread misinformation about climate science and policy.
There was a hot air balloon and big "Don't Look Up" vibes.
Koch’s Americans for Prosperity (previously Citizens for a Sound Economy) ran the "Hot Air Tour", a nationwide roadshow that spread misinformation about climate science and policy.
There was a hot air balloon and big "Don't Look Up" vibes.
2010📍
Koch mobilized to quash the cap and trade bill.
AFP crafted a "No Climate Tax" pledge, lobbied furiously, and got the entire GOP House leadership to sign on.
It was the last serious federal effort to put a price on carbon pollution.
newyorker.com/news/news-desk…
Koch mobilized to quash the cap and trade bill.
AFP crafted a "No Climate Tax" pledge, lobbied furiously, and got the entire GOP House leadership to sign on.
It was the last serious federal effort to put a price on carbon pollution.
newyorker.com/news/news-desk…
2010📍
Koch and his billionaire allies then poured tens of millions into the 2010 midterms, fueled the Tea Party, and targeted those who didn't sign AFP’s pledge.
AFP's then-president bragged: "After that, [support for renewable energy] disappeared from Republican ads."
Koch and his billionaire allies then poured tens of millions into the 2010 midterms, fueled the Tea Party, and targeted those who didn't sign AFP’s pledge.
AFP's then-president bragged: "After that, [support for renewable energy] disappeared from Republican ads."
2017📍
According to Koch expert @JaneMayerNYer, while Trump was the public face of the U.S.’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, it was Koch who actually made it happen.
newyorker.com/news/news-desk…
According to Koch expert @JaneMayerNYer, while Trump was the public face of the U.S.’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, it was Koch who actually made it happen.
newyorker.com/news/news-desk…
2018📍
By 2018, the Koch family fortune had spent at least $145M funding climate denialist groups.
Reflecting on the Trump years, Charles Koch told donors, “We’ve made more progress in the last five years than I had in the previous fifty.”
greenpeace.org/usa/fighting-c…
By 2018, the Koch family fortune had spent at least $145M funding climate denialist groups.
Reflecting on the Trump years, Charles Koch told donors, “We’ve made more progress in the last five years than I had in the previous fifty.”
greenpeace.org/usa/fighting-c…
2021📍
The Koch network pulled out the stops to sink Build Back Better and its historic climate provisions.
AFP spent tens of millions on ads against BBB, and Koch-funded "think tanks" like the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) opposed it.
rollingstone.com/politics/polit…
The Koch network pulled out the stops to sink Build Back Better and its historic climate provisions.
AFP spent tens of millions on ads against BBB, and Koch-funded "think tanks" like the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) opposed it.
rollingstone.com/politics/polit…
2021📍
Extreme bills to punish companies that stop fossil fuel investments come from TPPF and ALEC, both Koch-funded.
ALEC's climate denial is so extreme that Exxon, Shell, & BP quit. Koch Industries has been on its corporate board for nearly 30 years.
newrepublic.com/article/164641…
Extreme bills to punish companies that stop fossil fuel investments come from TPPF and ALEC, both Koch-funded.
ALEC's climate denial is so extreme that Exxon, Shell, & BP quit. Koch Industries has been on its corporate board for nearly 30 years.
newrepublic.com/article/164641…
Takeaway 1:
The Koch network is so insidious because it finds ways to appear neutral.
The "Independent Women's Forum," for example, peddles climate denial.
But look who funds them: Koch, Marathon Oil, and one of the world’s largest producers of compressors used in fracking.
The Koch network is so insidious because it finds ways to appear neutral.
The "Independent Women's Forum," for example, peddles climate denial.
But look who funds them: Koch, Marathon Oil, and one of the world’s largest producers of compressors used in fracking.
Takeaway 2:
Treading lightly on the planet in your own life is great, but we're up against big secret money — so we need to organize.
➡️ Join @StopMoneyPipe and your local climate justice group.
Happy Earth Day to everyone except the Kochtopus. 🌍
Treading lightly on the planet in your own life is great, but we're up against big secret money — so we need to organize.
➡️ Join @StopMoneyPipe and your local climate justice group.
Happy Earth Day to everyone except the Kochtopus. 🌍
https://twitter.com/StopMoneyPipe/status/1517143055068897282?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Clarification: Koch took over the Institute for Humane Studies in 1973, though he partnered with it for years before then.
Correction: Marathon Petroleum, not Marathon Oil.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
