Dear John, For over a decade, CMD has been exposing what the Koch network does with its billions of dollars — bankroll right-wing candidates and finance a fleet of dark money groups responsible for anti-labor, anti-teacher, pro-corporate, and climate denial legislation and propaganda at the expense of ordinary Americans. Like it or not, it takes money to fight back. CMD is a reader-supported organization, and we count on readers like you to help us expose the Koch machine — so we’re asking for your help now. | |
This year, CMD’s investigations exposed: - Koch machine influence operations. Sitting on more than $8 billion in assets, CMD estimates that Koch-controlled organizations — nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, and political action committees — spent close to $1 billion to influence public policy and elections in 2024.
- Koch’s campaign to slash taxes for the rich and tank affordable health care. Koch’s Americans for Prosperity (AFP) launched a $20-million campaign to back Trump’s Big Ugly Bill in order to extend and increase tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy — paid for by massive cuts to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies.
- Koch’s plan to reengineer America. Koch injected nearly $500 million into hundreds of colleges and universities between 2018 and 2023, part of its long-term strategy to bankroll right-wing academic centers and indoctrinate a new generation with its radical pro-corporate, anti-union, and anti-regulatory ideology.
- Koch’s war on unions. Koch has poured more than half a billion dollars over the past decade into anti-union groups like AFP and ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council) bent on destroying public employee and teachers unions and dismantling labor protections.
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Koch and his network of billionaires operate with resources that match or exceed spending by the major political parties and drown out the voices of the rest of us. They use that power to erode the integrity of our elections and sap taxpayer dollars away from investments in climate progress, public infrastructure, education, and healthcare to benefit narrow special interests and global corporations. And the Koch machine — with its $8.1 billion — is going to shift into overdrive for the 2026 midterm elections. Please help shine a light on Koch machine influence in 2026 by making your tax-deductible gift to CMD now! And, as an extra incentive: | |
Our independent investigations give people the information they need to stand up to the Koch machine and billionaire-backed dark-money forces distorting our democracy. Thank you for your support of CMD and all that you do, | |
Arn Pearson
Executive Director
Center for Media and Democracy | |
