Free Republic

Some of the most influential players in big-money conservative politics gathered late last month to discuss government’s role in society, but their focus kept shifting to a less weighty topic: Rand Paul’s outfit. The Kentucky senator and prospective GOP presidential candidate — whose libertarian politics mesh with those of the billionaire megadonor brothers Charles and David Koch — appeared at the annual winter meeting of the Koch donor network wearing a boxy blue blazer, faded jeans and cowboy boots.

The first 2016 presidential forum of the year took place on Sunday Jan. 25 featuring a conversation between Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, and Marco Rubio, R-Florida, moderated by ABC News’ Chief White Correspondent Jonathan Karl. The panel, which took place in Palm Springs, California, was sponsored by the Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, a not-for-profit connected to conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch. The following is a complete transcript of the 75-minute forum:

Charles Koch on Saturday signaled to hundreds of donors, operatives and conservative leaders gathered in the California desert that the political operation he and his brother David created was just getting started. “Americans have taken an important step in slowing down the march toward collectivism,” Charles Koch said in his speech, seemingly in reference to the Republican takeover of the Senate during the 2014 midterm elections. “But as many of you know, we don’t rest on our laurels. We are already back at work and hard at it! In fact, the work never really ends. Because the struggle for freedom...

Americans for Prosperity, the most prominent arm of the Koch brothers' organization, put Republican lawmakers on notice Thursday, setting out a conservative agenda for Congress. AFP leaders say it will be pushed by the group's grassroots supporters in 34 states. Tim Phillips, president of AFP, said at a Washington press conference that congressional Republicans "failed miserably" a decade ago, especially on cutting the federal budget. "They've been given a second chance by the American people," he said, "and we're going to hold them accountable. We're determined about that." The agenda covers three areas: taxes, including repeal of the estate or...

Americans for Prosperity, the most prominent arm of the Koch brothers' organization, put Republican lawmakers on notice Thursday, setting out a conservative agenda for Congress. AFP leaders say it will be pushed by the group's grassroots supporters in 34 states. Tim Phillips, president of AFP, said at a Washington press conference that congressional Republicans "failed miserably" a decade ago, especially on cutting the federal budget. "They've been given a second chance by the American people," he said, "and we're going to hold them accountable. We're determined about that." The agenda covers three areas: taxes, including repeal of the estate or...

Senator Harry Reid was injured when a home exercise apparatus he was using collapsed under him. The former Majority Leader suffered broken bones in his face and ribs. Though his injuries were described as "relatively minor," Reid's anger at the Koch brothers was not. "I don't know how they did it, but their insidious campaign of terror against this country's legitimate leaders must be stopped," Reid demanded. Doubtful that a judicial remedy could suffice due to lack of evidence, Reid vowed he would "call upon the President to utilize his newly asserted executive authority to ensure that justice is meted...

Conservative mega-donor Charles Koch says reforming the criminal justice system to make it more fair to the "disadvantaged" will be a major one of his priorities in 2015.The businessman said that the criminal justice system needs reforms aimed at “making it fair and making [criminal] sentences more appropriate to the crime that has been committed.” “Over the next year, we are going to be pushing the issues key to this, which need a lot of work in this country,” Koch told The Wichita Eagle in an interview published Saturday night. “And that would be freedom of speech, cronyism and how that relates to opportunities for...

Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline are stoking fear about the project by connecting it to two of the biggest bogeymen in politics: Charles and David Koch. The claim goes that the Koch brothers stand to make $100 billion if the pipeline gets built. The figure, which would effectively double the Kochs’ net worth, has bounced around liberal news organizations and was repeated this month by progressive radio talk show and TV host Thom Hartmann on his RT show. Take it with a block of salt, a PunditFact analysis finds.

In the aftermath of almost any election, commentators and talking heads perpetrate a number of myths that purport to explain why whatever happened, happened. The losing side usually is active in this effort in order to explain why they were pummeled by the electorate. The aftermath of the 2014 midterm elections is no different.The corrupting influence of money especially that spent on behalf of the other side is a myth that plays into the hallmark of progressive politics, at least in its current incarnation. This line of reasoning is very current in the post election debate.Last Wednesday, the day after...

Democrats are doubling down on their attacks against the Koch brothers. Prompted by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrats spent millions of dollars spotlighting Republican ties to the billionaire conservative megadonors Charles and David Koch. But despite Republicans — and some Democrats — publicly decrying the strategy after Tuesday’s GOP wave as an ineffective waste of money, Reid told allies on election night that he planned to continue hammering the brothers, according to an operative close to him. Continue Reading Text Size And big-money liberal groups ranging from the Democrats’ Senate campaign arm and House super PAC to the outfits...

This yearÂ’s midterm elections produced a number of winners and losers. Among the losers we can count the likes of Hillary Clinton, Tom Steyer, Sandra Fluke, Wendy Davis, Ron Paul, Barack Obama (obviously), Harry Reid, and other enemies of freedom. Winners include: America, Mitch McConnell, moral progress, and, above all, the Koch brothers.The Republican wave was a crucial step on the road to Kochtopia, which would be like heaven on earth for pot smokers, gay marriage advocates, bald eagles enthusiasts, art lovers, people who like hospitals and equality in education, and those who love America.Democrats tried to run against the...

Harry Reid is doubling down on his attacks on the Koch Brothers as the fount of all evil. . . . So here's an idea (shamelessly stolen from a poster on "Chicks On The Right". . .) When Reid is officially fired in January, we need to hold some kind of "Salute to Harry Reid." For his relentless attack on the Koch brothers, we'll call it "A Coke for Reid" day, in which everyone pours themselves a glass of Koch, errr, Coke, raises there glass, and drinks to Harry Reid's retirement. This could be as much fun as the icebucket...

Word salad of left wing buzz words will leave you laughing. (VIDEO-AT-LINK)MSNBC's Ed Schultz has been increasingly, visibly, sweatily desperate as the day count down to the election, and his choices in topics and guests reflect that. On Tuesday's show, Ed's guest, radio host Mike Papantonio delivered just what the doctor ordered for the poor, overwrought Ed: a blazingly useless word salad of left-wing buzz words and scare phrases all wrapped up in a neat Koch bow. Harry Reid would be proud (if he were capable of positive emotions). “"The Joni Ernst candidate is the perfect mental and moral blank...

Should election campaigns and the candidates themselves - be it in Iowa with Bruce Braley (D) saying his rival Joni Ernst (R) is tied to the hip of the Koch Brothers or be it Tom Cotton in Arkansas (R) saying his rival Mark Pryor (D) is tied to the hip of Obama - eschew such tactics? In summation... Should both sides (be it the candidates and PACs on the Republican and Democrat side) eschew this political tactic, or should both sides continue to employ this tactic - and how is the MSM figuring into the dissemination of this political tactic?

A couple of weeks ago at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, several hundred people went to their feet to applaud a speech delivered by David H. Koch. The occasion was the opening of the Met’s new facade on Fifth Avenue. ... Mr. Koch contributed the entire $65 million cost of the project, which took years to complete. The Left demonizes David Koch and his brother Charles for their free-market views, their political donations, and the fact that they run a substantial energy company. Harry Reid has made a new career of it, calling them “un-American.” But on the platform...

Nearly 100 environmental activists protested outside WGBH’s Brighton studios yesterday calling for conservative billionaire David Koch’s ouster from the public broadcaster’s board of trustees. “I am here today because David Koch is a climate denier and ’GBH has scientific programs and he should have absolutely no influence on PBS and public broadcasting,” said Nate Goldshlag of Arlington.

The Obama administration must acknowledge the existence of an independent investigation into former White House senior economics adviser Austan Goolsbee’s alleged unauthorized access to the Koch brother’s tax returns, a court ruled Tuesday. A federal judge ruled the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) must disclose to watchdog group Cause of Action whether records of an investigation exist. Cause of Action filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit after TIGTA refused to confirm or deny the existence of the investigation in what is commonly known as a “Glomar response.” “The court has ruled that the federal government cannot...

Academia is up in arms. The board of trustees at Florida State University (FSU) just named a Republican to be its president. Something called the FSU Progress Coalition just posted its concerns on the Academe blog maintained by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP): “Throughout the presidential search process at Florida State University, students were told that their voices were being heard. But really? Who was listening? The media was listening, the nation was listening, FSU alumni, faculty, and staff were listening. But the corporate/political elite, the 11 members of the Board of Trustees that voted for John Thrasher...

WASHINGTON (AP) — They are the outsized force in modern American politics, the best-known brand of the big money era, yet still something of a mystery to those who cash their checks. They're demonized by Democrats, who lack a liberal equal to counter their weight, and not entirely understood by Republicans, who benefit from their seemingly limitless donations. These are the Koch brothers, and perhaps the first thing you need to know is that there are four of them.

LAS VEGAS — Harry Reid’s reelection is more than two years off, but the Koch brothers’ political machine is already methodically laying the groundwork that will be used to try to take him out. The efforts in recent months have been largely subterranean, but they are unmistakable. A handful of nonprofit groups in the vast political network helmed by allies of the conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch have established or expanded permanent ground operations in Reid’s backyard. Focused on wooing key demographics like Latinos and veterans, they’ve also paid for ads assailing the Senate Democratic leader. Reid, meanwhile, is...