There’s no question that Terri Lynn Land is getting a big, wet money kiss from David and Charles Koch, the infamous “Koch brothers”. Through their corporatist front groups Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, the two billionaires have spent nearly $5 million attacking Land’s Democratic opponent Gary Peters. Some have suggested it’s payback for Peters having the audacity to force Koch Carbon to remove their toxic petcoke piles from the shores of the Detroit River.
It’s gotten so out of hand that Peters told a fundraiser crowd during Netroots Nation last month, “I feel like I’m not really running against Terri Lynn Land. I feel like I’m running against the Koch brothers.”
But David and Charles aren’t the only Koch family members to help Land. Several others have maxed out their individual contributions, too. And so has the Koch PAC:
| Name | Donation |
|---|---|
| Anna Koch | $5,200 |
| C. Chase Koch | $5,200 |
| Charles G. Koch | $5,200 |
| David H. Koch | $5,200 |
| Elizabeth B. Koch | $5,200 |
| Julia F. Koch | $5,200 |
| Koch PAC (11/2013) | $5,000 |
| Koch PAC (03/2014) | $5,000 |
| Total | $41,200 |
Each of these donations to Land for Senate represents the maximum that an individual or multi-candidate PAC can give.
While it’s easy to hammer on the “Koch brothers” given their immense wealth, let’s not forget about all the other Koch millionaires out their spending money to buy elections & politicians in order to pass laws and set policy that swells their bottom line.
They see these political contributions as investments. And we should, too.
[CC photo credit: Nick Gulotta | Flickr]
