The Koch brothers and the Republican Party go to war — with each other

Free at last, free at last. Thank God almighty - we are free at last!"

Well ATS it's finally happened and I, for one, am shocked that somebody is actually admitting to it. The RNC is finally admitting that the Koch brothers are actively seeking to take control of the Republican party to further their own business interests and NOT for the betterment of the Party nor America.

Finally Conservative politicians - in office are admitting that Citizens United was a very bad idea and that it's opened the flood gates to oligarchy ( well, not in those exact words, but in spirt? Yup ).

Some excerpts from the article:

“I think it’s very dangerous and wrong to allow a group of very strong, well-financed individuals who have no accountability to anyone to have control over who gets access to the data when, why and how,” said Katie Walsh, the RNC’s chief of staff.

The fight between the RNC’s chairman and the political operatives affiliated with Charles and David Koch over who controls the rich treasury of data on likely Republican voters has raised fundamental questions about what role the party’s central committee — even under the best management — can hope to play in the age of super-PACs. And it raises an even more fundamental question of how you define a political party.

The RNC is now confronting the Kochs more openly than before, by having Walsh speak on the record for this article and by making other key players available for interviews. Their decision to take their dispute with i360 public shows the level of alarm inside the RNC at the growing clout of the Koch political empire. They have concluded that the Koch political machine wants to replace them and to essentially become a shadow party.

“It’s pretty clear that they don’t want to work with the party but want to supplant it,” the source close to the RNC said.

Source

Now the specifics of the fallout are somewhat strange. It really isn't the idea of the Koch brothers owning our Government that is upsetting the RNC - it's the Koch's use and control of the RNC's data ( specifically member lists, voter registrations, etc ) that has them fuming.

Why?

Well because the company, owned by the Koch's, that handles that data ( their surrogate government ) is called i360 and a representative of i360 had this to say:

Michael Palmer, head of i360, said the RNC's model "has failed the Republican Party in recent presidential elections."

Which somebody ( even if it suits their own agenda's ) has finally understood to be a MASSIVE conflict of interest and so undemocractic as to be sickening...

The core issue, from Priebus’ point of view, is one of loyalty and allegiance. The RNC is a permanent entity, committed to the Republican Party without question. The Koch network is too independent from the party to be trusted with possession of the GOP’s most valuable core assets. If the Kochs — whose political history is steeped more in libertarianism than it is in any loyalty to the Republican Party — decided next week to use their database to benefit only their massive multinational corporation, they could do so.

Same source as above

Ah, finally some coherent statements! Of course reading between the lines makes it pretty clear. Republican politicians are not worried about ethics nor about the legally unknowable fortunes that they, themselves, have been given thanks to the Koch brothers. The issue is that they've finally woken up enough to realize that selling ones soul means that the Devil ( in this case Devil's ) can take control whenever they want.

The puppets have apparently become rather resentful of the puppet master. Which leaves me wondering... What in the blue Hell is it that the Koch brothers demanded this time around to turn their minions against them? A total takeover of the country? An open admission that the Koch brothers, along with a few others, actually run the show? The repeal of the Fourteenth Amendment?

One can only guess.

I'm just happy that this is FINALLY no longer "conspiracy folks" talking... Now it's the RNC backing up what many of us have been screaming for years and years.

Thanks for reading!

a reply to: Hefficide

Well I'll be damned!

I never thought I'd see the day this would happen. The Koch brothers are evil scum.

I think it's hilarious that they are no longer the darlings of the Republican Party, rather the red headed bastard stepchildren now.

As far as citizens United, that genie will never go back into the bottle there unfortunately.

a reply to: Hefficide

Now if we could only go after Soros and the Super Pacs?

Either way, as long as Corporations are People that still don't do time when committing a crime, it's all pointless until the laws are changed.

Hell must have finally frozen over. What did the RNC think when the Kochs were giving hundreds of millions to their party that it was out of the goodness of their hearts? With the Kochs its business first and to hell with America the same as it is with all people who hand over millions to political parties.

double post

a reply to: seeker1963

I sincerely hope a day comes when every single person involved with these highly unethical practices is called to the carpet and made to answer for their crimes.

And, yes... though technically legal at the moment - it's bribery plain and simple. Hopefully, one day, enough people will realize this fact to right the ship.

a reply to: Hefficide

Isn't that interesting! I thought the GOP loved being owned by the Kochs! But if the Koch's own the GOP, that means the GOP is bought and paid for, and they don't own themselves. It's only taken what - 35 years - for them to realize this???

a reply to: Hefficide

This is just the tip of the real truth.........Conservatives are split 50/50 by my estimation with many seeing the cold hard truth. Ron Paul really did change things and until the Republican party gets rid of progressive masters they will never win a presidential election again.



The people are waking up...........Conservative minded people will not follow progressive masters.

a reply to: Hefficide Well, I'm pretty impressed with the RNC for this move, lets see if it transforms the party.

a reply to: Hefficide

What in the blue Hell is it that the Koch brothers demanded this time around to turn their minions against them?

This is the most important question out of all this in my opinion. I find it interesting that the Kochs had solid support within the party until recently? And of all times, during election season when they need the Kochs financial support the most. Something put some in the RNC off.... something big.

originally posted by: Southern Guardian
a reply to: Hefficide

What in the blue Hell is it that the Koch brothers demanded this time around to turn their minions against them?

This is the most important question out of all this in my opinion. I find it interesting that the Kochs had solid support within the party until recently? And of all times, during election season when they need the Kochs financial support the most. Something put some in the RNC off.... something big.

I think I know what it is....

The RNC has already chosen Bush and the Koch bros favor Scott Walker and have threatened the RNC with withdrawal of campaign funds unless the RNC capitulates.

Now the Dembs could run a nobody and kick the Republicans ass. It just got interesting!!!

I had Bush as the golden boy in the WH, but this clearly changes things.

a reply to: Hefficide

Why r u surprised? The Koch Bro are Libertarian and RNC is conservatives that adopted a Leftist type ideology. Of course LIberatarians and establishment types never truly like each other.

I think what is being missed and the OP probably spun the wrong direction is that the Republican party is split. You have the true conservatives / libertarians vs the RINOs ala Boehner, McConnell, etc. The Kochs are probably fed up with the RNC leadership and them caving on core conservative issues and their doublespeak.

If you are conservative, this is probably a good thing that the Kochs are putting their foot down. Half the Republican party only votes Republican because there isn't a viable third party.

I hope this isn't a misdirection. I guess we'll have to see what effect this has on data collection, internet freedoms, transparency, and overall constitutional protections. Something tells me the Koch brothers aren't the sole catalysts to the slow burn.

a reply to: Hefficide

I can't decide what's more interesting about this story, the fallout between the RNC and the Kochs or the light it shines on the massive data warehousing/aggregation operations and CRM platforms that are being used by campaigns to microtarget individual voters and tailor propaganda.

Here's a few:

i360
Voter Vault (recently renamed GOP Data Center)
Demzilla
VoteBuilder / NGP VAN
Catalist
rVotes
NationBuilder
FILPAC

From the i360 website:

Who We Are

i360 has developed a comprehensive national data warehouse to support the campaign and advocacy activities of the pro-free-market, public affairs, political and corporate community. As a first of its kind enterprise on the pro-business side of the aisle, i360’s fully integrated and constantly updated database of over 190+ million active voters and 250+ million US consumers provides hundreds of data points on every American adult that is currently or potentially politically active.

In addition, we provide a host of technologies such as grassroots and analytical tools that help our clients understand data and put it to use, effectively. Our continued investment in data and technology ensures that our clients will have industry leading resources and services at their disposal.

i360 has a simple goal: Help our clients win through the strategic use of data and technology.

Our Main Asset: Our Database

Voter data from all 50 states
250+ million consumers with hundreds of demographic and lifestyle attributes
Privately sourced phones: LAN, Cell, VOIP
Email acquisition and append services
Social media identification
Aggregate census and election data
Private political and issue survey response data on over 100 million individuals
National Predictive Models, constantly recalibrated and rescored

originally posted by: amfirst1
a reply to: Hefficide

Why r u surprised? The Koch Bro are Libertarian and RNC is conservatives that adopted a Leftist type ideology. Of course LIberatarians and establishment types never truly like each other.

What's more establishment than Orwellian data collection from 250+ million Americans for the purposes of targeting them with the most effective propaganda?

originally posted by: amfirst1
a reply to: Hefficide

Why r u surprised? The Koch Bro are Libertarian and RNC is conservatives that adopted a Leftist type ideology. Of course LIberatarians and establishment types never truly like each other.

If the Koch bros are libertarians, why are they supporting a Republican. Why don't they support the Libertarian candidate whoever that might be. Scott Walker is a Republican; didn't you notice.

Is it possible that they are LINOS? Libertarian in name only....

Is it possible the Kochs want to take over the RNC? I think they can afford to buy the Republican party if they so choose.

Also the Republicans haven't adopted a leftist ideology when their core demographics are the Right Wing Christian, Rush Limbaugh worshiping, Conservatives; or perhaps it's all pandering; that's possible for a political party eh?

I thought Jeb had it in the bag....now I'm not so sure.

a reply to: olaru12

I was thinking the same thing, I was surprised that Rand payed them a visit a few months ago. Jeb Bush probably is their choice but I was also thinking this. Are women going to vote for a woman or a man who wants to shame single mothers as he said in his book, now I don't think Jeb any longer has a chance, then again Fox news basically tells their followers who to vote for. Its funny as hell to me that Rand is the only pub that isn't a joke. I wanna know who these idiots are that give money to 100% losers like Santorum , fat ass Kristy and Huckabee, are their backers secret Hilary fans ?

How can any conservative like the Koch Brothers or any big corporations that value profits over people?

It's always mystified me that conservative people...The sterotypical conservative cowboy, metal worker, farmer, chevy/ford commercial type people with family values, hard workers, simple country people can get behind a big corporation like this? Also how a conservative...a stereotypical, tough as nails guy could listen to a whiner like Sean Hannity or someone who's never worked a day in his life and is ultra smug, like Bill O'Reilly.

The high level national Republicans have been after the fringe groups like the Libertarians and Tea Party for some time now.

Somehow I see this story as a clever ruse to keep opposition thinking in the wrong direction.

The magic database is intact either way.

The dreaded Koch Brothers will keep their power base either way.

Only voters can make the changes.