Subject: [big campaign] Re: Astroturf In Action: Right-Wing Billionaire David Koch Pays For 40 Buses To Haul In Protesters
From: Ari Rabin-Havt <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Cc: "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 17:11:03 -0500
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

Details on AFP funding from conservative transparency:

http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Americans_for_Prosperity_Foundation/funders

On Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 4:33 PM, Adam Jentleson <
[email-masked]> wrote:

>  *Astroturf In Action: Right-Wing Billionaire David Koch Pays For 40 Buses
> To Haul In Protesters*<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/05/david-koch-astroturf/>
>
> *http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/05/david-koch-astroturf/*<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/05/david-koch-astroturf/>
>
> Americans for Prosperity (AFP), the corporate front group founded in the
> 1980s by Koch Industries billionaire David Koch, worked closely with Rep.
> Michele Bachmann (R-MN) to orchestrate the anti-health reform *rally*<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/05/holocaust-sign/> today.
> As ThinkProgress reported yesterday, AFP has been encouraging right-wing
> activists to board their buses — *free of charge*<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/04/king-astroturf-paulrevere/> —
> to attend the *rally* <http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/05/akin-pledge/>.
> While AFP does not disclose all of its corporate donors, foundations
> controlled by David and Charles Koch provide millions in yearly funding, and
> David continues to chair the AFP foundation and *preside over*<http://washingtonindependent.com/62453/david-koch-at-defending-the-american-dream-summit> AFP’s
> annual convention.
>
> ThinkProgress found at least a dozen AFP staffers standing at their
> designated bus drop off point near the Capitol, handing out signs,
> directions, talking points, petitions, and donuts to protesters. Many of the
> people who work at AFP are longtime Republican operatives, like *Ben
> Marchi*<http://www.americansforprosperity.org/041709-ben-marchi-afp-va-state-director>,
> the AFP Virginia director who previously worked for the National Republican
> Congressional Committee and for Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX). Victor Zapanta
> produced this video report of AFP staffers talking about their exploits at
> the rally today:
>
> AFP STAFFERS: We have 25 buses just from Pennsylvania, New Jersey we
> probably have 5 or 6 from Maryland.
>
> AFP STAFFERS: *We have about 40 buses coming*.
>
> Watch it:
>
> David Koch’s AFP has a long history of marshaling “grassroots” support for
> GOP objectives. In the early 1990s, AFP, then known as Citizens for a Sound
> Economy,*worked secretly*<http://www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/may96/background/health_debate_page3.html> with
> then-Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA) to organize angry crowds following the
> Clintons as they touted their health reform bill. Industry money from health
> insurance, telecommunications, oil, and other companies *has flowed freely
> *<http://www.citizen.org/documents/Citizens%20for%20a%20Sound%20Economy%20Report.pdf> to
> AFP over the years to help AFP promote an agenda of boosting the rich,
> stripping consumer safeguards, and maintaining corporate monopolies. Phillip
> Morris rented out AFP from the Koch family, contributing millions to the
> organization in exchange for AFP*to build opposition*<http://www.rollingstone.com/nationalaffairs/index.php/2009/10/01/echoes-of-philip-morris-and-hillarycare/> to
> tobacco regulations.
>
> AFP’s daily activities are managed by *Tim Phillips*<http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/05/29/afp-timphillips-astroturf/>,
> an infamous astroturf lobbyist who built a career using Christian front
> groups to wage stealth campaigns. For example, his work *includes fighting
> under the radar*<http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/05/29/afp-timphillips-astroturf/> to
> promote energy deregulation for Enron and helping Jack Abramoff clients
> continue forced abortion sweatshops in the Northern Mariana Islands.
>
> Will the media report on the true driver of today’s rally? Or will they
> leave David Koch out of the equation, despite his hand-in-glove involvement.
>
>
> -----
> Adam Jentleson
> Communications Director, Progressive Media
> Center for American Progress Action Fund
> *ajentleson@americanprogress**action**.org*<[email-masked]>
> ajentleson (AIM)
> 202-247-8614 (cell)
>
>
>
>
> >
>

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