Kochs Put $2 Million in For Ron Johnson Today

May 2, 2016

It’s not any real surprise that the Kochs’ Freedom Partners announce today they’re spending roughly $2 million in attack ads to help out their “model legislator,” Ron Johnson. Johnson has been a faithful foot soldier for the Koch agenda, with a lifetime score of 90% from Americans for Prosperity.

It’s only the beginning of Kochs’ money in this Wisconsin race. But how much will they spend to protect and hold on to their “model legislator”?

Sen. Ron Johnson, “Kochs’ Model Legislator”

RON JOHNSON CREDITED AFP WITH HIS DECISION TO RUN FOR SENATE

New York Times Political Correspondent Nicholas Confessore: Sen. Ron Johnson Credited Americans For Prosperity With His Decision To Run For Senate. According to a blog post by New York Times Political Correspondent Nicholas Confessore, “The reception, where Mr. Koch was honored with an award, marked the growing influence of the Tea Party-linked group within a Republican Party that it has sought to prod to the right on spending and regulation. Several Republican lawmakers close to Mr. Koch and his brother Charles attended, including Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who credited the group [Americans for Prosperity] with his decision to run for Senate, and Senator John Boozman of Arkansas.” [Nicholas Confessore – New York Times, 8/30/12]

  • AFP’sMadison Tea Party Rally In 2010 “Helped Launch The Career Of U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.” According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “AFP is an advocacy group founded by the conservative Koch brothers. The group emerged as a key conservative player in Wisconsin in recent years with several high-profile events, including a tea party rally in 2010 in Madison that helped launch the career of U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/6/13]

 
JOHNSON’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE KOCHS GREW THROUGHOUT THE YEARS 

Showed His Gratitude By Becoming Their “Model Legislator”

Politico Reported That Sen. Ron Johnson Was Regarded As “Well-Liked By The Big-Spending Koch Brothers, Who Are Sure To Support His Reelection.” According to Politico, “That said, [Sen. Ron] Johnson’s best asset is his ability to self-fund a campaign. He’s also well-liked by the big-spending Koch brothers, who are sure to support his reelection. The well-honed political machine of newly reelected Republican Gov. Scott Walker could be a difference-maker too.” [Politico, 4/5/15]

2014: Johnson Has “Gotten Fairly Close To The Kochs.” According to Slate Magazine, “Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson had actually gotten fairly close to the Kochs, dining with David Koch at the 2012 Republican National Convention and appearing at their donor conferences. ‘I think someone like David Koch, who’s donated a billion dollars to cancer research, I think someone like Charles Koch and the policies they’re primarily promoting, I think they are educating people on the free enterprise system, which just happens to be the best economic system,’ said Johnson after his RLC speech. ‘It’s the one that’s lifted more people out of poverty than any system in the history of the world. From what I know of the Koch brothers, that is what they’re trying to promote.” [Slate Magazine, 6/2/14]

Slate: Sen. Ron Johnson Got “Fairly Close To The Kochs, Dining With David Koch At The 2012 Republican National Convention And Appearing At Their Donor Conferences.” According to Slate, “Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson had actually gotten fairly close to the Kochs, dining with David Koch at the 2012 Republican National Convention and appearing at their donor conferences.” [Slate, 6/2/14]

Sen. Johnson Was Described By A Koch Conference Attendee As Their “Model Legislator.” According to Politico, “On the final full day of the seminar, I noticed Senator Johnson schmoozing two donors at a poolside cabana. I’d heard someone who attended these seminars describe Johnson as the Kochs’ ‘model legislator.’” [Politico, 4/29/14]

2012: Johnson Had Dinner With David Koch During Which They “They Discussed Saving America.” In the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel blog, All Politics Blog, Jason Stein wrote, “U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson dined Monday night with conservative billionaire and campaign backer David Koch, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Republican acknowledged Wednesday. ‘I can confirm they did have dinner, and that they discussed saving America,’ Johnson spokesman Alex Siciliano said.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – All Politics Blog, 8/29/12]

Op-Ed: Johnson Was Described At “As The Kochs’ Model Legislator.” In a Politico op-ed Kenneth P. Vogel wrote, “On the final full day of the seminar, I noticed Senator Johnson schmoozing two donors at a poolside cabana. I’d heard someone who attended these seminars describe Johnson as the Kochs’ ‘model legislator.’ Figuring I had to make my last few moments count, I walked over and sat down nearby. It was just me, the Kochs’ model senator and the two wealthy backers he was talking to, identified by their name tags as Ned Diefenthal and Rob Ryan.” [Politico, 5/29/14]

  • Johnson Is “A Favorite Of The Koch Brothers’ Donor Network.” According to Politico, “First-term Republican Sen. Ron Johnson won his seat in one of the biggest surprises of the 2010 tea party wave, beating Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold. A rematch could be in store. Johnson, a wealthy businessman who self-financed his first campaign, has not moved to the center during his term and a Marquette University poll last month had him with a worrisome 33 percent favorability rating. That could mean trouble in 2016. […] But Johnson won’t be easy to beat: He spent $9 million of his own money in the 2010 race, and there’s more where that came from. Plus, he’s a favorite of the Koch brothers’ donor network. Operatives tied to the groups say they are likely to spend heavily on his behalf.” [Politico, 11/12/14]

 
THE KOCH NETWORK RALLIED TO JOHNSON’S SIDE AND PLEDGED MILLIONS TO PROTECT HIS SEAT IN 2016

Americans For Prosperity Announced That They Would Back Sen. Ron Johnson With Ads In 2016 Because They Were “Impressed With” His Work. According to the National Journal, “Americans for Prosperity, ‘the flagship group in Charles and David Koch’s net­work of politically active non­profits,’ laid out which senators it plans to ‘back with TV ads’ in 2016. AFP president Tim Phillips said the group has ‘been impressed with’ Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). ‘But Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) is less likely to get air sup­port next year.’ Phillips: ‘He does not have a record we’re ex­cited about from an economic freedom perspective.’” [National Journal, 11/6/15]

  • AFP-Wisconsin State Director David Fladeboe: “The Policies Russ Feingold Supported As A Senator – Obamacare, Tax Increases, And Billion Dollar Spending Packages – Are Bad For Wisconsin Families.” According to a web post by Americans for Prosperity Wisconsin, “Americans for Prosperity Wisconsin State Director David Fladeboe released the following statement in regards to Russ Feingold’s record in the U.S. Senate: ‘The policies Russ Feingold supported as a Senator – Obamacare, tax increases, and billion dollar spending packages – are bad for Wisconsin families. Americans for Prosperity knows that free-market policies which promote freedom and opportunity are the best recipe for moving Wisconsin forward. Russ Feingold’s record would do just the opposite.’” [AmericansForProsperity.org, 5/14/15]

AFP Spent Over $1 Million On An Ad In Favor Of Sen. Ron Johnson, Which Was To Run For Three Weeks And To “Be Bolstered On The Ground By A Door-Knocking Effort In Seven Cities Including La Crosse, Waukesha And Milwaukee, Where AFP Staff And Volunteers Will Hand Out A Leaflet Highlighting The National Debt.” According to the Washington Post, “The conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity is rolling out a three-week, $1.1 million campaign in support of Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), part of an early effort by the Koch-backed group to build a firewall around Senate Republicans. The campaign, which launches Wednesday, stresses Johnson’s business credentials over his time in Washington. It includes a gauzy television spot that opens with scenes of the bucolic Wisconsin countryside and a beaming baby, while a female narrator calls the state ‘a place of inspiration and aspiration.’ […] The ad is set to run on broadcast, cable and digital. It will be bolstered on the ground by a door-knocking effort in seven cities including La Crosse, Waukesha and Milwaukee, where AFP staff and volunteers will hand out a leaflet highlighting the national debt. ‘The politicians are failing us,’ the door hanger reads. ‘But Ron Johnson was a manufacturer for 30 years.’” [Washington Post, 4/4/16]

Club For Growth Announced That They Planned To “Inject At Least $2.5 Million Into The Wisconsin Senate Race To Help Republican Sen. Ron Johnson Defeat Democratic Challenger Russ Feingold.” According to USA Today, “A national conservative group is planning to inject at least $2.5 million into the Wisconsin Senate race to help Republican Sen. Ron Johnson defeat Democratic challenger Russ Feingold in 2016. Club for Growth and its affiliated political action committees are hoping to funnel at least $1.5 million worth of contributions directly to Johnson’s campaign and plan to spend ‘north of $1 million’ on statewide advertisements either supporting his candidacy or, more likely, attacking Feingold.” [USA Today, 8/18/15]

  • Club For GrowthReceived $1 Million From Freedom Partners In 2014. According to its 2014 Forms 990 filing with the IRS, Freedom Partners provided a cash grant of a million dollars for “general support” to Club for Growth. [Freedom Partners IRS Form 990, 2014]

Politico: Club For Growth Launched “A $700,000 Ad Buy Against Former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold, With Two Spots” That Aired On “Broadcast And Cable Stations Throughout Wisconsin.” According to Politico, “Club for Growth will launch a $700,000 ad buy against former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold, with two spots that will air on broadcast and cable stations throughout Wisconsin, highlighting Feingold’s record, which the group calls, ‘too liberal, too Washington, too yesterday.’ ‘In 2010, Wisconsin voters had enough of Feingold’s support for bailouts, big government, and record debt,’ said David McIntosh, the group’s president. ‘Club for Growth Action is putting up this initial round of television ads just in case any Wisconsinites need a reminder of why they should not let Russ Feingold and his liberal agenda back in office.’” [Politico, 9/22/15]

Arizona Republic: The Koch-Linked Judicial Crisis Network Ran Ads “Applauding” Sens. John McCain, Kelly Ayotte, Chuck Grassley, Ron Johnson, Mitch McConnell, And Pat Toomey For Saying That President Obama Shouldn’t Pick Justice Antonin Scalia’s Replacement. According to The Arizona Republic, “Despite criticism and charges of hypocrisy, U.S. Sen. John McCain is standing by his decision to join fellow Senate Republicans in saying that President Barack Obama should not get to pick the replacement for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. […] Meanwhile, a ‘dark money’ group linked to right-leaning billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch has begun running a television ad supporting McCain on the question. The Judicial Crisis Network also is running similar ads applauding Republican U.S. Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.” [Arizona Republic, 2/21/16]

  • The Network Launched A Seven Figure Ad BuyPraising GOP Senators, Including Ron Johnson, For Working To Block A Supreme Court Nominee. According to the Politico, “A conservative judicial activist group is launching a million-dollar ad campaign to give cover to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his vulnerable incumbents as they angle to block President Barack Obama from filling a Supreme Court vacancy. The Judicial Crisis Network is launching a seven-figure ad buy that will land during this weekend’s Sunday shows in Washington, as well as McConnell’s home state of Kentucky and a half-dozen states where senators up for reelection are backing him. Democrats believe the issue is a long-term political loser for the GOP and could cost them the Senate. The ads will praise GOP Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Rob Portman of Ohio, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, John McCain of Arizona and Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa. Noticeably absent from that list is Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, who has not announced plans to preemptively reject a court nominee.” [Politico, 2/18/16]

Paid for by American Bridge 21st Century Foundation