Kochs Said To Be Behind Smear Of Reporter (UPDATED)

New Yorker writer Jane Mayer has a new book, "Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind The Rise Of The Radical Right," which examines several right-wing tycoons' funding of reactionary causes, among them the notorious Charles and David Koch.  However, it's reporting that Mayer did several years ago about the shadowy Kochs that, as the New York Times reports, had her investigated and smeared as a plagiarist by agents of the billionaire brothers. One of the entities allegedly involved in the investigation of Mayer is a firm headed by former New York City police commissioner, and Rudy "Noun, Verb, 9-11" Giuliani associate, Howard Safir.

Even given the Kochs' heavy-handed involvement in right wing and teabagger politics in the past several years, the story is breathtaking in the lengths to which the right-winger brothers apparently went to discredit straightforward reporting on their hidden political activities. The attempted suppression of a critical reporter and the arrogance of extreme wealth is on full display in this story, and it's yet another reason why they have to be exposed and reined in.

UPDATE:  Charles P. Pierce has his take on the attempt to smear Ms. Mayer.