If you've been reading our blog, I'm sure you're familiar by now with our Snake Oil Awards. I've been researching all of the nominees, and I'm convinced that Koch Industries deserves to win. Not only do they pollute our environment, they also pollute our democracy by funding climate denial groups that work to mislead and confuse Americans.
So, what is Koch Industries? It is America's second-biggest private company, with estimated annual revenues of $100 billion, and headed up by brothers Charles and David Koch. Koch owns refineries from Alaska to Texas and a large number of subsidiaries like Bounty Towels and Dixie Cup. For such a large and underhandedly influential company, it's surprising that they have managed to stay in the shadows for so long. While it is surprising, it isn't accidental: David Koch has called Koch Industries "the largest company that you've never heard of."
What has Koch Industries been doing while out of the public eye?
- Funding climate denial groups to try to keep America pro-oil.
- Getting named as one of the top 10 air polluters in the United States.
- Financially supporting Americans for Prosperity, a front group denying the findings of 98% of all climate scientists.
Koch Industries also gave $1 million to support Proposition 23, the ballot initiative that threatened to roll back California's clean energy law.According to a New Yorker profile, "The Kochs are longtime libertarians who believe in drastically lower personal and corporate taxes, minimal social services for the needy, and much less oversight of industry -- especially environmental regulation."
Koch Industries is the obvious choice for Repower America's Snake Oil Award. They've been so helpful behind the scenes in polluting our air and promoting the interests of big oil. Why not give them the recognition they deserve?
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