Koch Conference

Mitch McConnell

Mitch Mcconnell Gave Speech At Koch Conference Complained About Votes On Minimum Wage, Extending Unemployment, Student Loan Aid, Said They Were That’s Just Going To Make Things Worse.  According to the Nation, “And we’re not going to be debating all these gosh darn proposals. That’s all we do in the Senate is vote on things like raising the minimum wage (inaudible)—cost the country 500,000 new jobs; extending unemployment—that’s a great message for retirees; uh, the student loan package the other day, that’s just going to make things worse, uh. These people believe in all the wrong things.”  [Nation, 8/26/14]

McConnell Promised to Attach Riders to Spending Bills “Across the Board,” If Republicans Gained Controll Of The Senate, According to the Nation, “So in the House and Senate, we own the budget. So what does that mean? That means that we can pass the spending bill. And I assure you that in the spending bill, we will be pushing back against this bureaucracy by doing what’s called placing riders in the bill. No money can be spent to do this or to do that. We’re going to go after them on healthcare, on financial services, on the Environmental Protection Agency, across the board (inaudible). All across the federal government, we’re going to go after it…” [Nation, 8/26/14]

• McConnell: “Healthcare, On Financial Services, On The Environmental Protection Agency…All Across The Federal Government, We’re Going To Go After It.” According to the Nation, “So in the House and Senate, we own the budget. So what does that mean? That means that we can pass the spending bill. And I assure you that in the spending bill, we will be pushing back against this bureaucracy by doing what’s called placing riders in the bill. No money can be spent to do this or to do that. We’re going to go after them on healthcare, on financial services, on the Environmental Protection Agency, across the board (inaudible). All across the federal government, we’re going to go after it…” [Nation, 8/26/14]

McConnell  Praised Citizens United, Said Effect “Was To Level The Playing Field For Corporate Speech…. We Now Have, I Think, The Most Free And Open System We’ve Had In Modern Times.” According to The Nation, “So all Citizens United did was to level the playing field for corporate speech….We now have, I think, the most free and open system we’ve had in modern times.” [Nation, 8/26/14]

McConnell Praised Citizens United Because “The Supreme Court Allowed All Of You To Participate In The Process In A Variety Of Different Ways.” According to The Nation, “The Supreme Court allowed all of you to participate in the process in a variety of different ways. You can give to the candidate of your choice. You can give to Americans for Prosperity, or something else, a variety of different ways to push back against the party of government.” [Nation, 8/26/14]

Mitch McConnell: “The Worst Day Of My Political Life Was When President George W. Bush Signed McCain-Feingold Into Law.” According to the Nation, “‘The worst day of my political life was when President George W. Bush signed McCain-Feingold into law in the early part of his first Administration.’ To put that in perspective, Mitch McConnell’s 35-year career in the Senate saw the 9/11 terrorist attacks that killed thousands of Americans, the 2008 housing meltdown that threatened the entire economy and Barack Obama’s election, to cite a conservative bête noire. But it was McCain-Feingold, the bill that banned soft money and unlimited donations to party committees, that constitutes the worst day of his political life.” [Nation, 8/26/14]

Tom Cotton

Cotton Attended Koch Conference In California While Skipping Pink Tomato Festival In Arkansas.  According to The Huffington Post, “Cotton, meanwhile, took heat for backing out of the local Pink Tomato Festival to attend the Koch affair, with his opponent, Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), all but accusing him of lacking home-state sensibilities.” [Huffington Post, 8/26/14]

AFP President Tim Phillips: “Tom Cotton Is A Champion…He Has A 100 Percent AFP Voting Record.” According to the Huffington Post, “‘There are times when the candidate is running and, frankly, it’s just someone that you know that there’s no better alternative, right? That’s not the case in Arkansas. Tom Cotton is a champion,’ said Phillips. ‘He has a 100 percent AFP voting record.’” [Huffington Post, 8/26/14]

• Cotton Received Applause From Audience For His Vote Against The Farm Bill. According to the Huffington Post, “‘Tom Cotton is a champion,’ said Phillips. ‘He has a 100 percent AFP voting record This guy is running for the Senate [while] actually voting with 61 Republicans in the House to vote against the farm bill — in Arkansas.’ The crowd applauded.” [Huffington Post, 8/26/14]

Cotton Noted This Was His Second Koch Conference. According to The Huffington Post, “During their speeches, both Cotton and Ernst noted that this was actually the second Koch brothers’ retreat they had attended. Last year, the two had gone to the New Mexico event as politicians of less stature. The Koch network has since helped usher them to the doorsteps of the United States Senate.” [Huffington Post, 8/27/14]

Tom Cotton: Americans For Prosperity “Has Played A Critical Role” In Arkansas. According to the Huffington Post, “Cotton went further, crediting Koch-funded groups for helping change the political landscape of Arkansas. ‘Americans for Prosperity in Arkansas has played a critical role in turning our state from a one-party Democratic state [inaudible] building the kind of constant engagement to get people in the state involved in their communities,’ he said.” [Huffington Post, 8/26/14]

Joni Ernst

Jodi Ernst Said Koch Network “Really Started My Trajectory,” Helped Her Highlight Record Cutting Taxes and “Removing, Uh, Burdensome Rules And Regulations.”  According to the transcript of a Koch Conference panel, “JONI ERNST: ‘Well, first, I want to take a quick time out. And you’re absolutely correct, that um, as Tom mentioned earlier, the, the first time I was introduced to this group was a year ago, August, in New Mexico, and I was not known at that time. A little known state senator from a very rural part of Iowa, uh, known through my National Guard service and some circles in Iowa. But the exposure to this group and to this network and the opportunity to meet so many of you, that really started my trajectory. And it started a very strong victory that we’ve progressive, progressively built upon throughout the campaign cycle.  So really, the folks in this room that got my start, so having folks that, that backed me in this election cycle and primary. It was a five-way primary, a very tough cycle. I was (inaudible) initially and was outspent uh, by millions of dollars in the primary. But we were able to capitalize on my strong record in the state senate, um, rolling back taxes in the State of Iowa, removing, uh, burdensome rules and regulations, and doing the right thing for the Iowa people.’”  [Koch Conference Panel Transcript, Posted 8/26/14]

Ernst Noted This Was Her Second Koch Conference. According to The Huffington Post, “During their speeches, both Cotton and Ernst noted that this was actually the second Koch brothers’ retreat they had attended. Last year, the two had gone to the New Mexico event as politicians of less stature. The Koch network has since helped usher them to the doorsteps of the United States Senate.”  [Huffington Post, 8/27/14]

Cory Gardner

Freedom Partners President Marc Short Said Cory Gardner “Has Been A Champion Of Freedom.”According to the transcript of a Koch Conference panel, “MARC SHORT: ‘Moving onto Colorado. Cory Gardner is with us here this weekend. He has really solidified the Republican field. Other candidates got out; he got in. He has been a champion of freedom. Colorado was not on our list a year ago. But a lot has changed in Colorado (inaudible) to the left (inaudible) such as the tragedy in Colorado. (Inaudible) Second Amendment issue. So we think that Colorado is actually in play, and we’re excited about Cory’s candidacy.’” [Koch Conference Panel Transcript, Posted 8/26/14]

Huffington Post: Gardner Said His Race Would Be Decided By Third Party Spending, “An Obvious Pitch For Generosity From The Well-Heeled Crowd.” According to the Huffington Post, “Iowa state Sen. Joni Ernst and Arkansas Rep. Tom Cotton directly credited donors present at the June 16 retreat in Dana Point, California, for propelling them forward. Colorado Rep. Cory Gardner told attendees that his race would likely be decided by the presence of ‘third party’ money — an obvious pitch for generosity from the well-heeled crowd.”  [Huffington Post, 8/26/14]

AFP President Tim Phillips Highlighted Need for Outside Support for Gardner.  According to the Huffington Post, “During the congressional races panel, titled ‘2014 Debate: Immediate Opportunities to Defend Freedom,’ the discussion turned to Colorado at one point, and Phillips highlighted the extent to which the Koch network can help fill the holes for a candidate. ‘So we have a big task ahead of us,’ he said. ‘Concerned Veterans of America, Generation Opportunity and AFP has a good, strong ground game in the Denver area. But this is a big fight to make sure they don’t define Gardner — he’s a good guy, a free market guy, his voting record is great in the House — make sure they don’t define him as some extremist, because he’s not.’”  [Huffington Post, 8/26/14]

Tim Phillips: “Concerned Veterans Of America, Generation Opportunity And AFP Has A Good, Strong Ground Game In The Denver Area.” According to the Huffington Post, “During the congressional races panel, titled ‘2014 Debate: Immediate Opportunities to Defend Freedom,’ the discussion turned to Colorado at one point, and Phillips highlighted the extent to which the Koch network can help fill the holes for a candidate. ‘So we have a big task ahead of us,’ he said. ‘Concerned Veterans of America, Generation Opportunity and AFP has a good, strong ground game in the Denver area. But this is a big fight to make sure they don’t define Gardner — he’s a good guy, a free market guy, his voting record is great in the House — make sure they don’t define him as some extremist, because he’s not.’” [Huffington Post, 8/26/14]

Tom Tillis

Americans For Prosperity President Tim Phillips Boosted Thom Tillis’ Candidacy, And Touted AFP’s Decade-Long Efforts To Invest In North Carolina.  According to the transcript of a Koch Conference panel, “TIM PHILLIPS: ‘Absolutely. Kay Hagan, uh, Marc mentioned her just a minute ago. She’s the freshman incumbent Democrat running for reelection. She got elected in 2008 with a good, strong Obama wind at her back. It was a very close race. Her polling average is pretty much steady in the low forties. If you’re an incumbent and you’re in the low forties, that’s a flashing red light danger zone for her.  Uh, the Republican nominee was just chosen without a runoff, Speaker Thom Tillis. That’s very good for him. While this race is a toss-up region, we think it offers the best opportunity. I can tell you this. This seminar effort began investing, you — many of you — began investing in North Carolina a decade ago. This was a charter state AFP chapter along with Kansas and Texas, and so we have a deep network there.’”  [Koch Conference Panel Transcript, Posted 8/26/14]

• Tim Phillips: “This Was A Charter State AFP Chapter Along With Kansas And Texas, And So We Have A Deep Network There.” According to the transcript of a Koch Conference panel, “TIM PHILLIPS […]‘Uh, the Republican nominee was just chosen without a runoff, Speaker Thom Tillis. That’s very good for him. While this race is a toss-up region, we think it offers the best opportunity. I can tell you this. This seminar effort began investing, you — many of you — began investing in North Carolina a decade ago. This was a charter state AFP chapter along with Kansas and Texas, and so we have a deep network there.’”  [Koch Conference Panel Transcript, Posted 8/26/14]

Mike McFadden

AFP President Tim Phillips: Mike McFadden Was At 2013 Conference, Said He Was “A Good Candidate.”  According to the transcript of a Koch Conference panel, “TIM PHILLIPS: ‘There are three states further on the watch list. The seminar network is not spending money right now on these states, but they’re Minnesota, Oregon, and Virginia. Minnesota, everyone’s favorite comedian, Al Franken. Uh, he, against all expectations, actually has kept his head down and not made stupid comments, and has been in decent shape in a relatively blue state. It’s important to note that Obama got about just over 51 percent in Minnesota in 2012, so we do have an eye on that. Uh, McFadden is a businessman running on the Republican side who was actually a guest a year ago at the seminar. Uh, he is a good candidate.’”  [Koch Conference Panel Transcript, Posted 8/26/14]

Monica Wehby

Tim Phillips On Adding States To The “Watch List,” Including Oregon: Monica Wehby Is “Running A Strong Campaign.” According to the transcript of a Koch Conference panel, “There are three states further on the watch list. The seminar network is not spending money right now on these states, but they’re Minnesota, Oregon, and Virginia. […] Oregon. Uh, Dr. Monica Wehby is running a strong campaign so far. It’s a tough blue state, although it’s absolutely there keeping an eye on.”  [Koch Conference Panel Transcript, Posted 8/26/14]

Ed Gillespie

AFP President Tim Phillips Said Ed Gillespie Was Running “A Very Strong Campaign,” And That “Virginia Is A Key State For Us.” According to the transcript of a Koch Conference panel, “TIM PHILLIPS: ‘And then the third state is Virginia, uh, where Sen. Mark Warner, a liberal Democrat, is running for re-election (inaudible). Ed Gillespie got in. He’s running a very strong campaign. Uh, and it’s important to note that in Minnesota and Virginia, uh this seminar network has built an infrastructure over the last several years. In fact, Virginia is a key state for us.’” [Koch Conference Panel Transcript, Posted 8/26/14]