Earlier this month, I posted an article (link) that included information about Koch Industries' involvement with Americans for Prosperity.
On April 6, 2010, I received a request for a correction from Koch Industries on their involvement with Dick Armey; a request that began with the representative's claim of Koch Industries' "environmental stewardship."
I updated my post regarding Dick Armey (from current to prior involvement with Koch affiliated groups) and requested answers in return to four questions about Koch Industries' environmental stewardship and involvement with Americans for Prosperity:
1. Is AFP, as seemingly implied in Lee Fang's [Think Progress] article, planning to challenge any town hall meetings, representatives or legislators over upcoming climate legislation in the manner as was observed during last summer's town hall meetings on the health care debate?
2. Is Koch Industries, as stated in Fang's article, "the largest funder of climate science denying organizations in the world" and, whether that is true or not, what is Koch Industries' position on climate change?
3. Does Koch Industries have a position on the threats of violence that have become a risk with an incited population?
4. Is Koch Industries either working with and/or interested in working with the current administration to find the best way for both business and the environment to succeed? If so, what initiatives have been proposed and/or undertaken? If not, what would you like to see happen?
The representative replied that Koch would get back to me. I await further communication.
This exchange became all the more interesting to me after Rachel Maddow's April 15th report that Talking Points Memo had received an unsolicited email from Koch Industries (a different representative from the one who had contacted me) claiming no affiliation with Tea Parties (from the TPM report):
Koch Industries, a major backer of myriad right-wing causes, issued an unsolicited statement last night in advance of Tax Day claiming it has never provided funding "specifically to support the tea parties." But when TPMmuckraker followed up, a spokeswoman acknowledged that Koch funds one of the most prominent national groups that organizes ... tea parties.
In TPM's follow-up with Koch, the representative raised more questions than answers:
The spokesperson confirmed to us this morning that Koch does indeed fund the group, but in a moment of reality-denial startling even for a flack, stood by the company's email statement in which it, to reiterate, denies providing funding "specifically to support the tea parties." As one of our reporters noted to me, that "specifically" is doing a lot of work in that sentence.
I have no idea if there was a disconnect between departments or if Koch's unsolicited email to TPM is the response to my questions. In light of what can only be described as a bungled attempt at controlling the story by Koch -- as cited in the TPM posts -- I'm still hopeful I'll receive their answer, and, if received, will update my post accordingly.
More on this topic at THE ENVIRONMENTALIST
Rachel Maddow's report from April 15, 2010: