How Dark Money Flows Through the Koch Network
By Al Shaw, Theodoric Meyer and Kim Barker, ProPublica
Feb. 14, 2014
Fundraising by the libertarian billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch supports a tangle of nonprofits, sometimes referred to as the Kochtopus, all aimed at advancing conservative causes. Two groups, the Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce and TC4 Trust, handed out almost $264 million from mid-2011 to October 2012 to 30 other nonprofits. Almost half of that went to the Center to Protect Patient Rights, which then funneled millions to a constellation of dark money groups, some of which also received money from Freedom Partners and TC4 Trust. Groups that got significant amounts of money from the Center, Freedom Partners and TC4 Trust reported political spending of more than $75 million in 2012. Much of the money flowed through what are known as “disregarded entities” — limited liability companies, or LLCs, that some of the groups have set up. TC4 Trust has folded and the Center to Protect Patient Rights no longer plays a central role in the Koch network, but many of these groups will be active in the 214 election. |Related story »
Feb. 14, 2014
Fundraising by the libertarian billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch supports a tangle of nonprofits, sometimes referred to as the Kochtopus, all aimed at advancing conservative causes. Two groups, the Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce and TC4 Trust, handed out almost $264 million from mid-2011 to October 2012 to 30 other nonprofits. Almost half of that went to the Center to Protect Patient Rights, which then funneled millions to a constellation of dark money groups, some of which also received money from Freedom Partners and TC4 Trust. Groups that got significant amounts of money from the Center, Freedom Partners and TC4 Trust reported political spending of more than $75 million in 2012. Much of the money flowed through what are known as “disregarded entities” — limited liability companies, or LLCs, that some of the groups have set up. TC4 Trust has folded and the Center to Protect Patient Rights no longer plays a central role in the Koch network, but many of these groups will be active in the 214 election. |Related story »
GROUP HAS DISREGARD
Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce
TC4 Trust
Center to Protect Patient Rights
Americans for Prosperity
American Future Fund
Americans for Job Security
Americans for Responsible Leadership
EvangChr4 Trust
The 60 Plus Association
American Commitment
Small Business Action Committee
Themis Trust
Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee
Generation Opportunity
Public Notice
National Rifle Association of America
CitizenLink
California Future Fund for Free Markets
Center for Shared Services Trust
The LIBRE Initiative Trust
Public Engagement Group Trust
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Citizen Awareness Project
American Energy Alliance
Concerned Veterans for America
National Federation of Independent Business
Americans for Limited Government
National Association of Manufacturers of the United States of America
The Taxpayers Protection Alliance
West Michigan Policy Forum
National Right to Work Committee
Veteransforastrongamerica.org
No New Taxes, No on Prop 204
Rightchange.com II
Republican Jewish Coalition
Coalition to Protect Patients' Rights
The Hispanic Leadership Fund
State Tea Party Express
NFIB The Voice of Free Enterprise
Save Our Vote Opposing Prop 121
Americans for Jerusalem
Ending Spending
Morning in America
Coalition for American Values Action
Heritage Action for America
Partnership for Ohio's Future
The Progress Project
Club for Growth
Coalition for American Jobs
Susan B. Anthony List
Americans for Tax Reform
Arioch Project
American Values Action
Tea Party Patriots
Emergency Committee for Israel
Citizen Media
Fair Arizona Independent Redistricting Trust
Common Sense Issues
GOPAC Education Fund
American Principles in Action
Freedom Vote
Policy and Taxation Group
All Votes Matter
American Tradition Partnership
King Street Patriots
AUL Action NFP
Empower Texans
Generation Joshua, a project of the Home School Legal Defense Association
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
American Action Network
New Hampshire Advantage Coalition
Hampton Roads Tea Party
New Mexico Business Coalition
Arizona Public Integrity Alliance
Citizens for Community Values Action
Smart Girl Politics Action
Ohio Voter Integrity Project
