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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Koch Brothers Are Trying to Rig Our Elections (2014)
https://www.commoncause.org/democracy-wire/koch-brothers-are-trying-to-rig-elections/Massive spending on election advertising is just one way the Koch brothers are seeking to influence U.S. elections. Theres disturbing new evidence that theyre also behind an effort to send targeted voter groups incorrect or misleading voting information through their flagship political organization, Americans for Prosperity (AFP).
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North Carolina is home to one of the most competitive Senate races in the nation this cycle, as incumbent Kay Hagen (D) faces state House Speaker Thom Tillis (R). The Koch family has maxed out on direct contributions to Tillis, and the Kochs AFP and Freedom Partners have spent millions on ads in the race. In fact, outside spending in the North Carolina Senate race now exceeds $42 million, more than in any other contest.
And North Carolina isnt the only state in which Americans for Prosperity has used the mail to misinform voters. According to the Institute for Southern Studies, similar mailers with incorrect or confusing voting information also have been distributed in Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Virginia by Americans for Prosperity in recent years.
Its outrageous what they do, said Larry Haake, an election administrator in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Most of their information is wrong. They know its wrong and they dont care. In West Virginias May primary this year, AFP sent out voter registration leaflets in eight counties that West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant called misleading and confusing. In Wisconsin, evidence suggests that AFP previously worked with the state Republican Party to send confusing information to minority and student voters.
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In North Carolina, AFP argued that the mailers contained just a few administration errors, ignoring the fact that the state Board of Elections reported receiving at least 2,000 calls and complaints about them. In West Virginia, AFPs state director admitted that the mailers may have contained a few mistakes. It is unclear if any AFP chapter has sent corrected information to the voters who received their misleading mailers.
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BTW Daddy Koch made his money developing Stalin's oil fields.
katmondoo
(6,454 posts)Arkansas Granny
(31,484 posts)Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)Too bad the deaths of both brothers won't mean much when it comes to the prevalent influences of their malignant legacy, though. It will live on, and I don't know what the familial situation will be, but the heirs are probably a factor, too.
There are mountains of information about how much more influence just their corporation, money and numerous front organizations have and will have over and above the will of the people and our notions of a democracy. It seems that Oligarchs build for keeps, so that is one long-term strategy you can count on.
abqtommy
(14,118 posts)people to assume they have the right to break the law. I suppose being filthy rich ties in there somewhere too.
Botany
(70,295 posts)The Koch Brothers' rat fucking of the 2 of Walker's "wins" in 2 of
the Wisconsin Governor's race was massive. No way Scott won that
recall race on the up and up. In Ohio they got Kasich to turn down
money for a new passenger rail system in order to keep the fossil fuel
business going.
abqtommy
(14,118 posts)as in OCD/Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. We can fight using our votes but maybe we also need an intervention, hospitalization and treatment!