NDP: Who is Behind the Tea Party Movement?

[Omaha Steve]

In the past few months, there have been several "Tea Party" events in Nebraska. Most of these have not been the work of local activists.

Nebraskans need to know who is paying for these so-called "grassroots events."

Americans For Prosperity has hosted multiple town hall meetings including some held at pricey hotel chains in Lincoln and Omaha. Who exactly paid for the use of these facilities, which are not provided free of charge to the public? Americans For Prosperity or AFP is funded by Koch Industries, which is the largest privately owned energy company in the United States with an annual revenue of $98 billion.

Why might Koch industries want to influence an election?

In 2000, Koch Industries settled two lawsuits for $35 million -- including a $30 million fine -- because a pipeline spill resulted in more than three million gallons of crude oil leaking into ponds, lakes, streams, and coastal waters in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and three other states.

2000 apparently was a banner year for Koch Industries. Just as the Clinton administration wound down, Koch Industries was charged with covering up the illegal release of 91 tons of the known carcinogen benzene from their refinery -- that's fifteen times the normal limit allowed by law. Facing more than $350 million in fines and headed to trial, the new Bush administration abruptly settled the case for a mere $20 million.

Koch Industries was also been accused of stealing about $170 million in oil purchases on federal and Native American lands. This case was settled as well.

Think Koch Industries isn't trying to buy influence?

In 2004, Koch Industries was the leading campaign contributor among oil and gas companies -- giving a whopping total of $587,000 to conservative candidates.

Between 2005 and 2008, Koch Industries donated $5.7 million to conservative political campaigns. They also spent $37 million on lobbying to support fossil fuel industries.

Koch Industries has spent an additional $2.4 million lobbying to attempt to pass more than 50 pieces of legislation in Congress on such issues as class action lawsuits and repealing the estate tax.

Koch Industries has given Lee Terry $14,500 in just two years time. Surely these donations have nothing to do with the fact that Terry is a member of the influential House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has oversight of national energy policy and energy related issues as well as the U.S. Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Terry, of course, has accepted $154,020 total in campaign donations from the oil and gas industry since 1999.

Who else is a player in Americans For Prosperity?

Another major player in this is Art Pope, Americans For Prosperity Director and President of Variety Wholesalers, Inc., who served four terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives, ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor, was elected as a member of the North Carolina GOP's Executive Board, donated more than $30,000 to the NC GOP, and was even a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1992 and 1996.

Pope seems to envision himself as the Karl Rove of North Carolina; having engineered the election of radical right-wing Republicans to the North Carolina statehouse and foisting out the middle-of-the-road, moderate Republicans. Pope's leadership of Americans For Prosperity is no more or less an attempt to influence voters across the U.S. to elect extreme right-wing Republicans who will serve his agenda.

Now why would a president of a corporation with $455 million in sales and 425 stores in about 15 Southeastern states want to "advocate for public policies that champion the principles of entrepreneurship and fiscal and regulatory restraint"?

What other groups are pretending to be grassroots activists?

The Tea Party Express Bus recently visited Nebraska on their national tour. The PAC paying for the Tea Party Express Bus is actually run by Sal Russo -- a Republican campaign veteran of nearly fifty years -- who owns a media strategy company named Russo, Marsh & Waters. Of the $1.33 million spent by the PAC last year, $1,025,559 went into the coffers of Russo, Marsh & Waters for consulting fees. Does this sound like a grassroots movement?

Nebraskans need to stop and think about what corporation or political party is hosting a so-called "grassroots" event. Before blindly supporting a cause, take a moment to consider what motivation might exist when a group is trying to fire up the base. There's a simple reason that Koch Industries is funding Americans For Prosperity -- Republicans like George W. Bush, John Ashcroft, and Lee Terry have been in their pocket for years, and Koch Industries wants Republicans back in charge so sound, safe environmental policies can be tossed in the wind.

Many of these meetings and rallies are simply manipulation by big money. Nebraskans should not allow themselves to be mislead.


Please visit our website and read our blog to learn more about important issues in Nebraska:


http://www.nebraskademocrats.org/

[Brother Buzz]

1. Sal Russo - King of Astroturf®

That 'Move America Forward' Astroturf® crap was his invention, too.

Good background read on this asshole operator:

http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=45067

[snot]

2. Ok, I know the media are worthless, but not even a hint of this on NPR?

[Omaha Steve]

3. Kick

I'm on lucnh break.

[lpbk2713]

4. BeKKK & Failin certainly exploited the weak-minded T-baggers.

But I don't think they were there at the very beginning.