Investigating Power
State lawmakers seeking to dismantle unions and implement anti-worker laws have just been handed a new state-by-state roadmap by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the corporate-funded bill mill popular with Republican legislators.
The state of Kansas remains one of only 10 states that have refused to expand access to Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, due in large part to resistance from state Senate President Ty Masterson (R). Now the senator is using his new position as national chair of the American Legislative Exchange Council to continue the fight across the country.
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is using his efforts to curtail ESG investing in his bid for the GOP nomination for governor, which will be determined through the Republican primary on August 6.
In December, the Dutch chemical company OCI Global announced plans to sell its nitrogen fertilizer operation in Wever, Iowa to Koch Ag & Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, for $3.6 billion.
Billionaire Charles Koch’s political network won a major state legislative victory last year when Iowa passed a bill that limits damages in medical malpractice lawsuits. Now, a new court filing claims that an insurance company deliberately lost a major medical malpractice case instead of agreeing to a settlement, with the explicit goal of spurring the Iowa Legislature to take action on the issue.
Georgia-Pacific, announced on September 18 that it would shutter its cellulose factory, known as the Foley mill. The company claimed that the closing had been planned before Hurricane Idalia—for “strategic” reasons—and did not reflect “the hard work and effort of the Foley team.”
Over 200 workers across seven Twin Cities venues owned by First Avenue Form a Union with UNITE HERE Local 17 and the Support of the Restaurant Opportunities Center.
The State Financial Officers Foundation, a membership group of 37 Republican state treasurers, auditors, and financial executives weaponized to fight “woke” capitalism, more than doubled its revenue in 2022 — to over $2 million — according to its latest IRS filing obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy.
In 2022, Stand Together Trust and Stand Together Chamber of Commerce contributed over $176 million to groups in Charles Koch’s “Stand Together” constellation of nonprofits as well as to higher education and right-wing policy, advocacy, litigation and media groups, the Center for Media and Democracy has found.
The Milwaukee-based Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and its “aligned” donor advised fund funneled a total of $86.4 million to right-wing litigation outlets, national and state policy groups, media outlets, youth groups, and higher education in 2022, according to an analysis of its most recent IRS filings obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy.