The Koch front on the Export Import Bank

March 20, 2015

The LIBRE Initiative bills itself as a non-profit group that pushes a message of economic freedom and limited government among the Latino community. But the Koch bankrolled group is just a front for the Koch’s self-interested agenda. The LIBRE Initiative has been pushing to block a minimum wage hike, oppose the expansion of medicaid, and fight against clean energy legislation, and now do away with the Export-Import Bank.

The mission of the Bank is to create and sustain U.S. jobs by financing sales of U.S. exports to international buyers. In FY 2014 the export-import bank funded $10.7 billion in small business exports, making small business exports the top category for Ex-Im Bank last year. The reauthorization of the Bank is set to expire in June — if Congress doesn’t act.

Of course, the Kochs are opposed to the program because it gives small businesses an edge over their multi-national corporation, Koch Industries.

According to a press release from the LIBRE Initiative, “The government should not be picking winners and losers by awarding funds to some companies and not others – even through loan guarantees … If Congress rejects appeals from companies and Interest groups that benefit from these taxpayer subsidies, the agency will sunset as it is currently scheduled to do.”

These empty talking points shouldn’t come as a surprise. An analysis by Conservative Transparency shows that the group received $3.8 million in funding from Freedom Partners and TC4 Trust, two groups affiliated with the Koch brothers.

They call themselves nonpartisan, but their whole agenda is indistinguishable from that of the Koch brothers. Their money speaks a lot louder than their actions.

Paid for by American Bridge 21st Century Foundation