Investigating Power
The American Legislative Exchange Council holds its Annual Meeting virtually over the next two weeks after its original location, Florida, became the new epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Milwaukee-based foundation funded many of the groups behind the right-wing campaign against coronavirus public safety measures and made specific grants to support rapid reopening efforts. Since then, COVID-19 cases have soared across the U.S. and in Wisconsin.
A number of Koch-linked nonprofits that advocated against federal aid to states and cities facing crushing coronavirus budget deficits received up to $5.4 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans; additional anti-government spending groups took millions more.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine already slashed state spending by $775 million, the state faces another $2.4 billion shortfall, and county and municipal governments face staggering deficits due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Koch-funded groups are lobbying to stop a federal government bailout.
A group with ties to the fossil fuel industry plans to use Facebook’s op-ed loophole to spread climate misinformation.
The Milwaukee-based foundation pumped more than $42 million in 2019 into a network of right-wing groups dedicated to attacking unions, blocking climate action, creating obstacles to voting, and promoting the GOP’s political power and policy agenda.
State Rep. Cindy Abrams proposed a bill on Monday that would make vote-by-mail more difficult and add headaches on Election Day.
Koch advocacy arm works with ALEC to block federal funds for cities and states that have seen their tax revenues plummet during the coronavirus lockdowns.
CMD joins Common Cause and 71 other groups calling on companies to stop funding ALEC due to its leading role in the right-wing campaign to protest COVID-19 public safety measures and reopen the economy despite warnings from public health officials.
The Council for National Policy, a powerful behind-the-scenes player, has been hosting weekly calls with conservative figures to promote anti-lockdown protests and coordinate policy responses to the coronavirus pandemic.