While the Kochs did not give directly to Trump’s campaign, their foot soldiers—like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)—celebrated his election, staffed his administration, and aided and abetted his dangerous pandemic and election fraud lies. More than 40 Koch operatives served in Trump’s White House, and Marc Short—who led the Kochs’ Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce—became his head of legislative affairs. The result? Giant corporations and billionaires got a $2 trillion tax cut, while Koch-backed government officials sabotaged the Affordable Care Act, gutted labor protections, pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord, and stacked the federal courts with right-wing ideologues. As the President of CMD’s board and its past executive director, I know first-hand how hard the CMD team works day in and day out to dig behind the scenes to expose the Kochs and other dark money plutocrats so that We the People have the information we need to fight back! That’s why I’m reaching out to you now to implore you to support CMD’s prize-winning investigations before year end! Thanks to a $50,000 match, your year-end gift will go twice as far!
Donate Here! The Koch Machine is not going to stop pushing its radical right-wing agenda in 2021, despite Charles’ attempt at a public image makeover. His political operation, Americans for Prosperity Action, is spending millions in the Georgia Senate run-off elections to back Republicans who won’t admit Trump lost; ALEC will keep lobbying against COVID-19 public health measures; and Koch’s other front groups will keep peddling climate denial, privatization, and pollution. That’s why we need CMD on deck in the New Year! As Robert Reich has said of CMD, “The first step to winning back our democracy is knowing who has taken it hostage.” So please help shine a light on hidden Koch influence and disinformation in 2021 by making your tax-deductible gift to CMD now! Together we can make a difference and help win back a democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people. With gratitude for all that you are doing to help make our world a better place,   Lisa Graves,
Board President, Center for Media and Democracy | 
