Quote:
Rep. Mike Pompeo will introduce legislation backed by powerful trade groups to prevent states from passing laws requiring the labeling of genetically-modified foods, according to reports. The bill is linked to biotech giant Monsanto and Koch Industries.
Pompeo will offer the bill in the US House before Congress leaves for Easter recess later this month, The Hill newspaper reported, citing industry sources. Politico also reported on the impending proposal. Pompeo’s office would not comment on the congressman’s intentions for a labeling restriction. The bill includes a “prohibition against mandatory labeling,” according to The Hill, echoing powerful interest groups that have already declared war against such “right to know” labeling laws around the nation.
It was revealed in recent months that powerful farming and biotechnology interest groups like Monsanto were joining forces – under the name 'Coalition for Safe Affordable Food' – to push a federal voluntary labeling standard for food made with genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) in an effort to stem the tide of state legislation seeking to mandate labeling.
Pompeo, a Republican from Kansas, has numerous ties to Charles and David Koch, heads of the formidable multinational corporation Koch Industries.
Pompeo founded Thayer Aerospace (now Nex-Tech Aerospace) with investment funds from Koch Industries. He then was named president of Sentry International, an oilfield equipment company that partners with Koch Industries.
In his initial run for Congress in 2010, Pompeo received more money from the Kochs than any other politician. Once in the House, the congressman introduced bills sympathetic to Koch Industries, The Washington Post reported.
Koch Industries’ subsidiary, Georgia-Pacific, is also a member of the Grocery Manufacturers Association.
“GMA’s selection of Congressman Pompeo as their champion shows how extreme the proposal really is,” said Colin O’Neil, director of government affairs for the Center for Food Safety. “Selecting Pompeo creates an unholy alliance between Monsanto and Koch Industries, two of the most reviled corporations in America.”
http://rt.com/usa/gmo-labeling-koch-monsanto-249/
The Koch brothers’ congressional empire...
House
Adams, Sandy (R-FL) $5,000 Republican Florida
Barletta, Louis J. (R-PA) $5,000 Republican Pennsylvania
Benishek, Daniel J. (R-MI) $5,000 Republican Michigan
Berg, Rick (R-ND) $5,000 Republican North Dakota
Black, Diane Lynn (R-TN) $2,500 Republican Tennessee
Canseco, Francisco (R-TX) $2,500 Republican Texas
Chabot, Steve (R-OH) $10,000 Republican Ohio
Denham, Jeff (R-CA) $5,000 Republican California
Dold, Robert (R-IL) $5,000 Republican Illinois
Duffy, Sean P. (R-WI) $10,000 Republican Wisconsin
Duncan, Jeff (R-SC) $2,500 Republican South Carolina
Farenthold, Blake (R-TX) $5,000 Republican Texas
Fincher, Steve (R-TN) $10,000 Republican Tennessee
Flores, William (R-TX) $2,500 Republican Texas
Gardner, Cory (R-CO) $10,000 Republican Texas
Gibbs, Bob (R-OH) $5,000 Republican Ohio
Gowdy, Trey (R-SC) $5,000 Republican South Carolina
Griffin, Tim (R-AR) $7,500 Republican Arkansas
Griffith, Morgan (R-VA) $5,000 Republican Virginia
Guinta, Frank (R-NH) $5,000 Republican New Hampshire
Hanna, Richard L. (R-NY) $5,000 Republican New York
Harris, Andy (R-MD) $10,000 Republican Maryland
Hartzler, Vicky (R-MO) $5,000 Republican Missouri
Hayworth, Nan (R-NY) $5,000 Republican New York
Heck, Joe (R-NV) $10,000 Republican Nevada
Herrera, Jaime (R-WA) $5,000 Republican Washington
Huelskamp, Tim (R-KS) $7,500 Republican Kansas
Huizenga, Bill (R-MI) $2,500 Republican Michigan
Hultgren, Randy (R-IL) $5,000 Republican Illinois
Hurt, Robert (R-VA) $5,000 Republican Virginia
Kelly, Mike (R-PA) $5,000 Republican Pennsylvania
Kinzinger, Adam (R-IL) $5,000 Republican Illinois
Lankford, James (R-OK) $5,000 Republican Oklahoma
Long, Billy (R-MO) $1,000 Republican Missouri
Meehan, Patrick L. (R-PA) $7,500 Republican Pennsylvania
Mulvaney, John Michael “Mick’’ (R-SC) $5,000 Republican South Carolina
Noem, Kristi Lynn (R-SD) $5,000 Republican South Dakota
Nugent, Richard B. (R-FL) $2,500 Republican Florida
Palazzo, Steven (R-MS) $5,000 Republican Mississippi
Pearce, Steve (R-NM) $10,000 Republican New Mexico
Pompeo, Mike (R-KS) $10,000 Republican Kansas
Quayle, Ben (R-AZ) $5,000 Republican Arizona
Renacci, James B. (R-OH) $5,000 Republican Ohio
Ribble, Reid (R-WI) $5,000 Republican Wisconsin
Rigell, Scott (R-VA) $5,000 Republican Virginia
Rivera, David (R-FL) $10,000 Republican Florida
Roby, Martha (R-AL) $5,000 Republican Alabama
Ross, Dennis (R-FL) $10,000 Republican Florida
Runyan, Jon (R-NJ) $5,000 Republican New Jersey
Schilling, Bobby (R-IL) $5,000 Republican Illinois
Schweikert, David (R-AZ) $5,000 Republican Arizona
Scott, Austin (R-GA) $5,000 Republican Georgia
Scott, Tim (R-SC) $2,500 Republican South Carolina
Southerland, Steve (R-FL) $5,000 Republican Florida
Stivers, Steve (R-OH) $10,000 Republican Ohio
Tipton, Scott (R-CO) $2,500 Republican Colorado
Walberg, Tim (R-MI) $10,000 Republican Michigan
Webster, Daniel (R-FL) $5,000 Republican Florida
Womack, Steve (R-AR) $2,500 Republican Arkansas
Woodall, Rob (R-GA) $2,500 Republican Georgia
Yoder, Kevin W. (R-KS) $10,000 Republican Kansas
Young, Todd (R-IN) $5,000 Republican Indiana
Senate
Ayotte, Kelly A. (R-NH) $10,000 Republican New Hampshire
Blunt, Roy (R-MO) $10,000 Republican Missouri
Brown, Scott P. (R-MA) $5,000 Republican Massachusetts
Coats, Daniel R. (R-IN) $10,000 Republican Indiana
Hoeven, John (R-ND) $10,000 Republican North Dakota
Johnson, Ron (R-WI) $10,000 Republican Wisconsin
Kirk, Mark (R-IL) $15,000 Republican Illinois
Moran, Jerry (R-KS) $10,000 Republican Kansas
Paul, Rand (R-KY) $5,000 Republican Kentucky
Portman, Rob (R-OH) $10,000 Republican Ohio
Rubio, Marco (R-FL) $10,000 Republican Florida
Toomey, Pat (R-PA) $10,000 Republican Pennsylvania
Source: Center for Responsive Politics.
Bankrolling state politicians
Alabama $43,500
Alaska $38,613
Arizona $5,000
Arkansas $60,500
California $1,149,500
Delaware $1,800
Florida $249,195
Georgia $500,355
Idaho $500
Illinois $11,000
Indiana $2,500
Iowa $131,150
Kansas $478,270
Kentucky $3,500
Louisiana $218,291
Maine $11,100
Michigan $1,500
Minnesota $98,160
Mississippi $163,600
Missouri $2,375
Nebraska $5,000
Nevada $6,000
New Mexico $26,500
New York $274,700
North Carolina $19,000
Ohio $56,050
Oklahoma $197,375
Oregon $141,863
Pennsylvania $39,000
South Carolina $20,700
Texas $740,570
Virginia $273,402
Washington $94,050
Wisconsin $160,185
Total $5,224,803
Source: “KOCH INDUSTRIES Overview Map,” available at http://www.followthe-
money.org/database/natnoteview.phtml?u=1457&y=0&ince=1&incs=1.
Gubernatorial Elections
Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) received $76,000 from the Koch network
Gov. Mary Fallin (R-OK) received $5,000 from the Koch network
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) received $87,000 from the Koch network
Gov. Terry Branstad (R-IA) received $5,000 from the Koch network
Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) received $43,000 from the Koch network
Gov. Tom Corbett (R-PA) received $5,000 from the Koch network
Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) received $22,000 from the Koch network
Gov. Mike Beebe (D-AR) received $4,000 from the Koch network
Gov. Sam Brownback (R-KS) received $20,000 from the Koch network
Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter (R-ID) received $500 from the Koch network
Gov. Nathan Deal (R-GA) received $15,600 from the Koch network
Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN) received $250 from the Koch network
Gov. Susana Martinez (R-NM) received $10,000 from the Koch network
Source: National Institute for Money in State Politics
Bankrolling and influencing the U.S. Congress...
House Energy and Commerce Committee - single-largest oil-and-gas donor to members of the committee, giving $279,500 to 22 Republicans on the committee and $32,000 to five of its Democrats.
2010 Midterm Elections - Koch network spent $2.1 million last cycle...almost $2 million of which went to Republicans.
Since 1990 - Koch network has donated $11 million to federal candidates. $9.8 million of which went to Republicans.
Voter-organizing arm of the Koch empire - Americans for Prosperity, The Americans for Prosperity Foundation, FreedomWorks,
Action Groups and Think Tanks - Koch nonprofit organizations records show they have given at least $85.9 million to the following over the last decade...
Cato Institute, Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research, Citizens for a Sound Economy 2, Environmental Literacy Council, George Mason’s Mercatus Center, Property and Environment Research Center, Americans for Prosperity Foundation, Center for Equal Opportunity,
Heritage Foundation, Institute for Energy Research, Institute for Humane Studies, Atlas Economic Research Foundation, Bill of Rights Institute, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas, Citizens for Congressional Reform Foundation, Institute for Justice, Frontiers of Freedom Institute, Reason Foundation,Texas Public Policy Foundation, National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship,The Phillips Foundation, Federalist Society,John Locke Foundation, Institute for the Study of Human Origins,Fund for American Studies, American Enterprise Institute & Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, James Madison Institute, Manhattan Institute, John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy, Washington Legal Foundation, Young America’s Foundation, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, Leadership Institute, Foundation for Research on Economics & the Environment, American Council on Science & Health, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Laffer Center for Global Economic Growth, National Center for Policy Analysis, Association of Private Enterprise Education, American Legislative Exchange Council, Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, Capital Research Center, Center for Independent Thought, Tax Foundation,National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Legal Foundation, Independent Women’s Forum, Carbon Dioxide & Global Change Center, International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics,Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Acton Institute, Market Based Management Institute, Fraser Institute, Media Institute, Pacific Research Institute, Heartland Institute, American Council for Capital Formation, Goldwater Institute, George C. Marshall Institute, Institute for Research on the Economics of Taxation, Libertarian Review Foundation, Americans for Tax Reform, Students in Free Enterprise, Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions, Center for Excellence in Education, Center for Freedom & Prosperity Foundation,Ayn Rand Institute, National Tax Limitation Foundation,International Policy Network, North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Free Enterprise Education Institute, Atlantic Legal Foundation, South Carolina Policy Council for Political Economy, Center for Individual Rights, Media Research Center, Texas Justice Foundation, Future of Freedom Foundation, Foundation for Economic Education, Pacific Legal Foundation, National Taxpayers Union Foundation, Foundation for Human Development, Institute for Policy Innovation, American Spectator, Critical Review Foundation, Galen Institute, Hudson Institute
Source: Tax records for the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation, David H. Koch Charitable Foundation, and the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, available at guidestar.org for 2009 and compiled on Media Matters Action Network website for prior years.
Koch Industries:
Flint Hills Resources, LP - markets petroleum products, including asphalt, base oils, gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and heating oils.
The Koch unit operates refining complexes in Alaska (North Pole), Minnesota(Pine Bend Refinery in Rosemount), and Texas (Corpus Christi). In addition,Flint Hills Resources also operates the Wisconsin pipeline, which carries products from the company’s Twin Cities-area refinery to terminals in Junction City, Waupu, Madison, and Milwaukee, and operates the MSP Airport line that delivers jet fuel to the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport. In Texas, the unit operates the Texas Pipeline system, which runs from Corpus Christi to the San Antonio, Austin, Bastrop, Waco, and Dallas/Fort Worth markets, and the DFW Airport line that delivers jet fuel from the Fort Worth-area terminal to the Dallas/Fort Worth airport. Flint Hills also operates ethanol plants in Menlo and Shell Rock, Iowa, that pro-duce 220 million gallons of ethanol annually. It is a leading producer of chemicals and related products with manufacturing facilities in Illinois, Michigan, and Texas.
It has an interest in a base lube oil facility in Louisiana as well as interests in a biodiesel feedstock development company in California. According to its website, Flint Hills produces fuels that power most of Texas, the Midwest, and the Alaska interior. The asphalt it produces is used across the Midwest and Alaska.
Koch Supply & Trading, LP - Koch Supply & Trading provides risk management in crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, and other commodities. The company is an indirect subsidiary of Koch Industries. Koch Supply & Trading has locations in Houston, New York City, and Wichita as well as London, Geneva, Singapore, India, and the Netherlands.
According to its website, products traded by Koch Supply & Trading include: crude oil; refined products and derivatives; natural gas liquids; natural gas, power, and emissions; metals; financials including foreign currency, interest rates, and exchange-traded commodities; and freight.
Koch Pipeline Company - Koch Pipeline Company is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries. Many of the pipelines and terminal facilities it operates are owned by Flint Hills Resources. Koch Pipeline owns or operates 4,000 miles of pipeline to 5 Center for American Progress Action Fund | the Koch Brothers transport crude oil, refined petroleum, natural gas liquids, and other chemicals. It
operates proprietary and common carrier crude oil pipelines that deliver to refining centers in the Midwest and Texas.
Koch Pipeline operates the 540-mile South Texas system, which moves domestic crude oil to Corpus Christi. And units of the Koch subsidiary own pieces of other pipelines. For instance, the Koch Alaska Pipeline owns 3 percent of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, and another Koch company owns 28 percent of the Colonial Pipeline Company.
Georgia-Pacific - Georgia-Pacific became a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries in 2005 after the two brothers paid $21 billion to take over the company and take it private. Georgia-Pacific is a manufacturer and marketer of “tissue, packaging, paper, pulp, and building products and related chemicals.”
Georgia-Pacific’s North American brands include: Quilted Northern (toilet paper), Angel Soft (toiletpaper), Brawny (paper towels), Sparkle (paper towels), Soft ‘n Gentle (toiletpaper), Mardi Gras (paper towels), Vanity Fair (paper napkins), and the Dixie
brand of tabletop products.
Georgia-Pacific has facilities in 27 states, including 25 in Georgia; 18 in Florida; 14 in Mississippi; 13 in California and Oregon; 10 in Arkansas and North Carolina; nine in Texas; eight in Alabama, South Carolina, and Wisconsin; seven in Virginia; five in Michigan and Tennessee; four in Ohio; three in Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Washington; two in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, New
Jersey, and New York; and one in Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.
INVISTA B.V. - INVISTA, formerly DuPont Textiles and Interiors, is an independently managed but wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries. Koch subsidiaries acquired INVISTA from E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company in 2004 and it was combined with Koch affiliate KoSa. INVISTA is a producer of nylon, span- dex, and polyester polymers and fibers. The materials go into clothing, carpets,
luggage, plastic bottles, and car interiors. Its products include LYCRA fiber, STAINMASTER carpet, ANTRON carpet fiber, and COOLMAX fabric.
Koch Chemical Technology Group, LLC - Koch Chemical Technology Group and its affiliates manufacture and sell pollution-control equipment. Affiliates include: Koch-Glitsch, LP; Koch Membrane Systems, Inc.; Koch Heat Transfer Company, LP; John Zink Company, LLC; Optimized Process Designs, Inc.; and Koch Knight LLC.
Koch Mineral Services, LLC - Koch Minerals and its affiliates are among the largest dry-bulk commodity handlers. It markets or trades 40 million tons of product per year. Koch Minerals also has direct or indirect subsidiaries that collectively are one of the world’s largest
producers and marketers of nitrogen fertilizers.
Those companies include: Koch Nitrogen Company (Koch Fertilizer), LLC; Koch Nitrogen International, Sárl and Koch Fertilizer Canada.
Koch Nitrogen and its affiliates have personnel in Wichita; Brandon, Manitoba; Geneva; London; Cayman Islands; Paris; and Beijing.
They also have international operations and interests in Venezuela, Manitoba, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Matador Cattle Company - Matador Cattle Company is a key division of Koch Agriculture Company and an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries.
The company operates ranches that together comprise 425,000 managed acres, of which 240,000 are deeded acres, and support 15,000 cattle in production herds.
It operates three ranches: Beaverhead in Montana, Matador in Texas, and Spring Creek in Kansas.
Given the array of industries in which Koch Industries is involved, from energy to agriculture to timber, all of which fall under government oversight, what agency is in charge of regulation and what regulations are enforced are of great importance to the companies’ bottom line.
Since Koch Industries deals in commodity trading, for example, they have a business interest in whether the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has the resources to ensure oil speculators play by the rules. And given its oil-and-gas interests, they have a business interest in whether the Environmental Protection Agency has the resources to crack down on polluters to ensure public health.
Source: “Koch Industries, Inc. - Locations,” available at http://www.kochind.com/locations.asp.