$249 million. That's just the downpayment, too.
At their most recent retreat in Southern California two weeks ago, the billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch and 450 of their donor-allies announced plans to spend $889 million over the next two years to influence state and federal elections and shape the national discourse... That eye-popping, nine-figure goal made national headlines, but what wasn't reported was that the Kochs and their allies were already well on their way to banking that huge amount of money.
Donors at the [Rancho Mirage] Palm Springs confab pledged $249 million toward funding the Koch brothers' grand plan, according to two sources with knowledge of the fundraising haul. (our emphasis)
Of course, as with
"Justice" Anthony Kennedy, "
We now conclude that independent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption" (Citizens United). No, not at all.
