Here at Real Koch Facts, we refer frequently to the “Koch brothers” as shorthand for Charles and David Koch, the billionaire brothers who are committed to deploying their wealth in service of their self-serving, Conservative political agenda. But Charles and David actually have two more brothers, Bill and Fred, and this past weekend, Bill gave an interview to the Associated Press. The AP released a few nuggets of the interview, providing a glimpse into the thinking of one of the more reclusive members of the Koch family.
Whether it be their desire to abolish the federal minimum wage, repeal all campaign finance laws or roll back basic environmental protections, there are no shortage of examples of radical policies espoused by Charles and David, their political arm, Americans for Prosperity, and the Republican candidates they support. Earlier this year, Charles Koch penned an op-ed that falsely claimed that Koch Industries was a “model” for a cleaner environment and that misrepresented his past political involvement. The foundation bearing Charles’ name is currently pursuing a “well-being initiative” that aims to convince people that programs which support working families are actually undermining their happiness.
Turns out even Bill Koch thinks his brother Charles’ views are “extreme.” According to the AP, Bill said of Charles: “He’s a born-again libertarian or a born-again conservative and sometimes born-agains take positions that are a bit extreme.”
Other highlights from the AP’s interview summary include Bill saying that his brother Charles “collects money” — no surprise there — and that his brothers are “putting their money where their mouths are,” a very polite way of saying that they intend to spend over $125 million in this year’s midterm elections.