Earlier this week, Senate Democrats took to the Senate floor to call out Charles and David Koch and the groups the brothers fund over their coordinated campaign against the scientific consensus of climate change.

Unsurprisingly, the Koch network did not respond well to the scrutiny. Here are the four categories of deflections they decided to go with:

1) Despite what 97% of scientists say, the science of climate change is unsettled. 

• “Guys, there is no consensus on #climatechange science. Not sure how else to break it to you.” [Heritage on the Hill – Twitter, 7/12/16]

2) Actually, we have a right to be anti-science climate change-deniers, so…

• “Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and fellow Senate Democrats have launched a series of false, ad-hominem attacks against private citizens.” [Freedom Partners, 7/12/16]

3) Come on! It must be tyrannical, or something, for these Senators to call us out like this, right?

• “In a country where you should be the patriots leading us into a great future, sadly today you are the tyrants.” [Letter to Democratic Senators – American Legislative Exchange Council, The Heritage Foundation, Competitive Enterprise Institute et al., 7/12/16]
• “CEI President Kent Lassman responded: ‘Apparently, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is the new Senator Joe McCarthy and green is the new blacklist. It is unhealthy for democracy and abusive when members of Congress create an enemies list based on policy positions.'” [Competitive Enterprise Institute Press Release, 7/11/16]

4) Fighting climate change will hurt the economy.

• “Let’s support policies that have marginal climate benefits but 500,000 lost jobs! Said no one ever. http://herit.ag/29BADn6  #WebofDenial” [Heritage on the Hill – Twitter, 7/12/16]
• “Democrats attack AFP while ignoring that their ideas are all economic pain for no environmental gain. #WebOfDenial[.]” [Akash Chougule, 7/11/16]
• “CBO: ‘carbon tax will hurt our economy[.]’ Senate Dems: ‘@AFPHQ is bad!’ #WebOfDenial #Grandstanding #Strawman[.]” [Americans for Prosperity, 7/11/16]

As a bonus, here’s what the Koch-affiliated groups didn’t say — the truth:

5) Climate action threatens Charles and David’s bottom line.

• “Climate change policy could negatively affect Koch Industries,” according to NPR, which reported Koch Industries was in 2014 the top spender for oil and gas lobbying.

There’s a reason Charles and David Koch have long backed organizations that promote climate change denial. They don’t care if the science is real or not. They are — as always — first and foremost looking out for themselves, and climate change denial is good for their bottom line.

Background:

Koch Network Responds To Web Of Denial

The Koch network’s reaction to public disclosure of their Web of Denial on the Senate floor was full of indignation yet offered very little evidence that climate change skeptics are little more than shills for the Koch Network’s corporate paymasters.  Of course we heard the standard refrain that fighting climate change will hurt the economy, but more interesting was the Koch Network’s assertion that denying Climate Change is somehow a fundamental right being exercised by humble private citizens.  However, this logic was confounded when they went so far as far as to call shining the light of day onto their Web of Denial a tyrannical attack on free speech.

Fighting Climate Change Will Hurt The Economy

The Heritage Foundation Tweeted “Let’s Support Policies That Have Marginal Climate Benefits But 500,000 Lost Jobs! Said No One Ever.” 
According to a tweet from The Heritage Foundation, “Let’s support policies that have marginal climate benefits but 500,000 lost jobs! Said no one ever.http://herit.ag/29BADn6  #WebofDenial” [Heritage on the Hill – Twitter, 7/12/16]

AFP Accused Senate Democrats Of Grandstanding And Making A Strawman Argument Which Attacked AFP But Ignored That The Congressional Budget Office Said A Carbon Tax Would Hurt The Economy. According to a tweet by Americans for Prosperity, “CBO: ‘carbon tax will hurt our economy[.]’ Senate Dems: ‘@AFPHQ is bad!’ #WebOfDenial #Grandstanding #Strawman[.]” [Americans for Prosperity, 7/11/16]

AFP Policy Director Akash Chougule: “Democrats Attack AFP While Ignoring That Their Ideas Are All Economic Pain For No Environmental Gain.” According to a tweet by AFP policy director Akash Chougule, “Democrats attack AFP while ignoring that their ideas are all economic pain for no environmental gain. #WebOfDenial[.]” [Akash Chougule, 7/11/16]

AFP: Democrats Knew A Carbon Tax Would Hurt The Economy But Wanted It Anyway. According to a tweet by AFP, “What do you do if you know a carbon tax will hurt our economy (but want it anyway)? Grandstand. #WebOfDenial.” The tweet included a graphic which read “Australians voted to repeal a carbon tax after just two years upon seeing the harmful effects it had on their economy.” [AFP – Twitter, 7/12/16]

Mark Holden: “Senator Reid And His Colleagues Are The Ones Fighting For The Special Interests That Will Profit Handsomely From These Job-Destroying Policies.”  According to a press release from Freedom Partners, Chairman Mark Holden said, “Senator Reid and his colleagues are the ones fighting for the special interests that will profit handsomely from these job-destroying policies. The policies they favor will do little to improve the environment, but will lead to increased energy costs for millions of Americans and the elimination of thousands of jobs in this country.” [Freedom Partners,7/12/16]

Denying Climate Change Is A Right

Freedom Partners: “Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid And Fellow Senate Democrats Have Launched A Series Of False, Ad-Hominem Attacks Against Private Citizens.” According to a press release from Freedom Partners, “In an effort to distract Americans from the fact that President Obama’s harmful EPA regulations would negatively impact millions of hard-working taxpayers, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and fellow Senate Democrats have launched a series of false, ad-hominem attacks against private citizens.  [Freedom Partners, 7/12/16]

Cato Institute Senior Fellow Walter Olsen: “The Democrats’ #WebOfDenial Probe ‘An Obvious Attempt To Chill Research Into The Funding Of Public Policy Projects You Don’t Like.’”According to a tweet from Cato Institute senior fellow Walter Olsen, “Then as now Sens’ #WebOfDenial probe ‘an obvious attempt to chill research into the funding of public policy projects you don’t like.’ [2/3]” [Walter Olsen – Twitter, 7/12/16]

Tyranny On The Senate Floor

ALEC Et Al.: “In A Country Where You Should Be The Patriots Leading Us Into A Great Future, Sadly Today You Are The Tyrants.” According to a letter to nineteen Democratic Senators from various groups, “And, we reject it. At the birth of our nation, patriots asserted their right to speech and broke British law in doing so. King George used the full force of the British crown to suppress the rebellion— to suppress speech. In spite of the tyrant’s commands and because they had put their lives on the line to defend their rights, the patriots enshrined free speech in our founding documents; the same documents that gave you your job. In a country where you should be the patriots leading us into a great future, sadly today you are the tyrants.” [Letter to Democratic Senators – American Legislative Exchange Council, The Heritage Foundation, Competitive Enterprise Institute et al., 7/12/16]

Cato Institute Policy Analyst Jason Bedrick Referred To The Web Of Denial Campaign As “Liberal Fascism.” According to a tweet from Cato Institute policy analyst Jason Bedrick, “.@JonahNRO, call your office! #LiberalFascism http://overlawyered.com/2016/07/dems-assigned-conservative-groups-attack-senate-floor/ … #tcot #tlot.” [Jason Bedrick – Twitter, 7/13/16]

Competitive Enterprise Institute President Kent Lassman: “Senator Sheldon Whitehouse Is The New Senator Joe McCarthy And Green Is The New Blacklist. It Is Unhealthy For Democracy And Abusive When Members Of Congress Create An Enemies List Based On Policy Positions.”According to a press release from the Competitive Enterprise Institute, “Members of Congress are taking to the floor Monday and Tuesday evening in a McCarthy-style attempt to shut down the democratic process and publicize the names on their climate policy enemies list. CEI President Kent Lassman responded: ‘Apparently, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is the new Senator Joe McCarthy and green is the new blacklist. It is unhealthy for democracy and abusive when members of Congress create an enemies list based on policy positions. All Americans have the right to support causes they believe in without fear of threats from overzealous government officials. Courts decide whether someone has broken the law, not political parties. Members of Congress should know better—it’s shameful to engage in coordinated intimidation campaigns and to use scare tactics that violate the First Amendment rights of speech and assembly for individuals and private organizations.’” [Competitive Enterprise Institute Press Release, 7/11/16]

The Science Of Climate Change Is Unsettled

The Heritage Foundation Said There Is “No Consensus” On Climate Change Science.   According to a tweet from The Heritage Foundation, “Guys, there is no consensus in #climatechange science. Not sure how else to break it to you. http://herit.ag/1SAR5Dc  #WebofDenial” [Heritage on the Hill – Twitter, 7/12/16]

Cato Institute Senior Fellow Walter Olsen: “Shame On” Sen. Franken Sen. Brian Schatz, Sen. Barbara Boxer, And Sen. Chris Coons For “Promoting Climate Wrongthink Subpoenas.”According to a tweet from Cato Institute senior fellow Walter Olsen, “Shame on @SenFranken @SenBrianSchatz @BarbaraBoxer @ChrisCoons promoting climate wrongthink subpoenastwitter.com/MattWelch/stat… #WebofDenial.” [Walter Olsen – Twitter, 7/12/16]

Cato Institute Senior Fellow Walter Olsen Referenced A Reason Article, Quoting That, “Prosecuting Ungood Climatology Is Baked Right Into The Democratic Party Platform.”According to a tweet from Cato Institute senior fellow Walter Olsen, “Senators vs. speech: ‘Prosecuting ungood climatology is baked right into the Democratic Party platform.’ [@MattWelch]reason.com/blog/2016/07/1…” [Walter Olsen – Twitter, 7/12/16]

Roff Called The Climate Change Debate “Unsettled.” According to an opinion by Frontiers of Freedom senior fellow Peter Roff for U.S. News & World Report, “This well-coordinated assault, which has the support of an outside public relations machine and third party organizations that can echo its message, is all wrapped up in the as yet unsettled debate about climate change and what to do about it. They’re hoping it blurs the lines.” [Peter Roff – U.S. News & World Report, 7/11/16]

Between 2004 And 2014, Frontiers Of Freedom Received At Least $370,000 From Koch Connected Groups. According to Conservative Transparency, between 2004 and 2014 Frontiers of Freedom Institute and Frontiers of Freedom Foundation received at least $370,000 from Koch connected groups. This information is further detailed in the following table:

Year	Donor	Recipient	Contribution
2014	Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation	Frontiers of Freedom Institute	$75,000
2014	American Commitment	Frontiers of Freedom Foundation	$12,500
2013	DonorsTrust	Frontiers of Freedom Institute	$50,000
2012	DonorsTrust	Frontiers of Freedom Institute	$50,000
2008	DonorsTrust	Frontiers of Freedom Institute	$7,500
2007	Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation	Frontiers of Freedom Institute	$50,000
2006	Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation	Frontiers of Freedom Institute	$50,000
2005	Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation	Frontiers of Freedom Institute	$50,000
2004	Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation	Frontiers of Freedom Institute	$25,000
Total			$370,000

[Conservative Transparency, Accessed 7/13/16]

Climate Policy Hurts The Kochs’ Profits

Koch Industries’ Earnings Could Be Negatively Affected By Climate Change Policy. According to NPR, “Climate change policy could negatively affect Koch Industries’ earnings — the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Political Economy Research Institute found that Koch Industries ranked among the top 30 companies for CO2 emissions in the United States in 2011. Last year, Koch Industries was the top spender for oil and gas lobbying, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics: It spent $13.7 million.” [NPR, 8/11/15]