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Koch Bros. Pump $2.5M Into Right-Wing Database

Billionaires aim to repeat Democrats' success

By Neal Colgrass, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 7, 2011 4:39 PM CST

(Newser) – Extending the reach of corporate power into next year's elections, the Koch Brothers are drawing on a wide range of right-wing groups to establish a database of conservative voters, the Guardian reports. Oil billionaires David and Charles Koch pumped $2.5 million into the voter file, called Themis, which will assemble data from groups like Tea Party organizations and conservative think tanks. "With this resource they become a natural center of gravity for conservatives," says one liberal analyst.

Named after a Greek goddess who controls human affairs, Themis is designed to repeat the success Democrats had with a database called Catalyst. That voter list, assembled after John Kerry's loss in 2004, corralled data on supporters of liberal campaigns and progressive groups—and helped President Obama win the White House. The Koch brothers are no less ambitious: At a recent gathering of billionaires in Vail, Colorado, Charles Koch called next year's presidential race "the mother of all wars. ... [a battle] for the life or death of this country."

Charles and David Koch, the oil billionaires who invested $2.5 million in a new right-wing database. (YouTube)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 40 comments

PadrePio

Nov 8, 2011 9:09 AM CST

They're wasting their money. All they have to do for such a data base is go to every mega church and buy their mailing list. Mission Accomplished. But if these two dumbasses want to spend billions on a list that already exists all I can say is we do need to tax the shit out of these trust fund punks.

brucke

Nov 8, 2011 6:24 AM CST

BUZZWORD ALERT! This time its 'RIGHT WING' - that euphemism for everything the media wants to demonise. If you wish to be taken seriously as some kind of intellectual or avoid being labelled as a nutcase (ie: blend in and appear normal) then you absolutely must avoid this word being attached to you and if it ever is you must adopt liberal attitudes which make even the most liberal politician look like a neo-fascist. Tune in next week for more BUZZWORD ALERT!

cornelison

Nov 7, 2011 10:53 PM CST

2.5 million is all that we know about. We're not entitled to know who's buying off which politicians & by how much money. Why? Congress passed laws to make it legal. This "fox & the hen house" thing is not only getting worse but it's killing the country.

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Koch Bros. Pump $2.5M Into Right-Wing Database

Billionaires aim to repeat Democrats' success

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

voters • database • David Koch • Charles Koch

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More Newser Stories

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He mocks media scrutiny of his ties to the conservatives

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Far from outsider, Cain's campaign full of Koch associates

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Two big groups may be working at cross purposes

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As do other special interests

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