Real Koch Facts: Wisconsin

This Just In: Koch brothers back for more in Wisconsin

In 2011 and 2012, the Koch brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity spent $10 million backing Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s policies, and this election year is shaping up to be no different. AFP is kicking off a major paid media blitz in Wisconsin this week in support of Walker in the midst of what many polls show is a tightening reelection race this fall.

This most recent AFP ad buy in Wisconsin – $866,000 – is hardly surprising when you consider the return on investment that the AFP and the Kochs have gotten there over the last several years: a Governor and state house that have pursued an extreme right-wing agenda. Hand in hand, this Koch-fueled wave of Wisconsin Republicans have attacked workers’ rights, drastically slashed education spending and handed out tax breaks to the wealthy – and there are plenty more examples of this self-serving agenda in action.

With Governor Walker’s track record, it’s hardly a […]

The Koch Brothers in Wisconsin

Photo Credit: Emily Mills

Before the 2010 elections, Wisconsin was a relatively progressive state, focused on improving and investing in education and protecting workers’ rights. But that year, conservative groups like the Kochs’ American for Prosperity spent millions to elect a massive wave of Republicans in both the state House and in the governor’s mansion.

In the four years since Governor Scott Walker and the state legislature took office, they have supported and passed an extreme right-wing agenda. Working together, they have made it harder to vote, attacked public workers’ rights and made public parks and the areas around school less safe by allowing concealed weapons.

The legislature and Governor Walker have also slashed the education budget by $800 million, while at the same time giving huge tax breaks to the wealthy. With no surprise, the governor and his extreme conservative allies also passed a law severely limiting a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions by requiring medically unnecessary ultrasounds. And now, they are working to block raising the minimum wage for the hard working people of Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin chapter of American for Prosperity has already put up $10 million toward supporting Walker’s extreme Tea Party agenda; what will they attack next?

View full research brief after the jump.