White House, Koch Officials Discuss Criminal Justice Issues

The White House says key administration officials met Thursday with representatives of Koch Industries to build support for criminal justice reform.

The issue appears to represent a unique instance in which frequent political enemies are working together. Billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch are major donors to Republican political candidates.

Just this past summer, the Koch brothers tangled with President Barack Obama on the issue of government subsidies for clean energy.

The White House says all of the parties in the meeting committed to pushing for reforms that would make the justice system more effective and fair.

The topics discussed include the adverse impact of overly harsh fines and bail systems on the poor, and the need to support re-entry programs for those who have served time.