Last November’s election losses have led billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch to restructure their empire.
Already, Americans for Prosperity, the advocacy group that is their main political organization, has canned its chief operating officer, most of its 100-plus field workers, and several fundraisers,
Politico reports. Generation Opportunity, a youth-oriented group, recently installed a new president.
The brothers’ machine also is withholding cash from some groups while it conducts an audit of its spending.
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It is possible that the Kochs could leave the political arena to focus solely on policy and issue advocacy, but for now it looks like they will stay in politics and try to adjust.
Some in the brothers’ circle are talking up the idea of trying to match the Obama campaign’s analytical approach to messaging, while others are focusing on operations at the grassroots.
The organization is creating a new advocacy group to push for reform in state legislatures, including perhaps a weakening of union power and eliminating income taxes.
“They’re trying to figure out a way to benefit their causes” without becoming a punching bag for Democrats, a source familiar with their thinking told Politico.
Democrats’ obsession with the Kochs was illustrated last month when Virginia state Sen. Don McEachin accused them of backing an effort to "rig" the state’s election results by changing the way its electoral college delegates are allocated, according to U.S. News & World Report.
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