Koch to Democratic Senators: Get Lost!

The Democrats’ campaign to smear climate realists is not going well. Congressman Raul Grijalva is taking a beating, and Dr. Willie Soon has struck back against the climate hysterics who are persecuting him.

As part of their smear campaign, Democratic Senators Boxer, Markey and Whitehouse wrote to Koch Industries to request information, covering the last 10 years, “about Koch Industries’ payments made in support of scientific research and scientists, as well as support for other efforts related to climate change, if such payments have been made.” Yesterday, Koch’s General Counsel, Mark Holden, responded to the Democrats’ request:

The activity and efforts about which you inquire, and Koch’s involvement, if any, in them, are at the core of the fundamental liberties protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. To the extent that your letter touches on matters that implicate the First Amendment, I am sure you recognize Koch’s right to participate in the debate of important public policy issues and its right of free association. …

In reviewing your letter, I did not see any explanation or justification for an official Senate Committee inquiry into activities protected by the First Amendment. Under the circumstances, we decline to participate in this endeavor and object to your apparent efforts to infringe upon and potentially stifle fundamental First Amendment activities.

Here is the letter in full:

Holden Ltr 030515

Senator Markey’s web site contains a list of 100 “fossil fuel companies, trade groups, and other organizations” to which the senators have sent the same request. The “other organizations” include the Chamber of Commerce, the Cato Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the George C. Marshall Institute, the Hoover Institution, the Hudson Institute, the Institute for Energy Research, the John Locke Foundation, the John Williams Pope Foundation, the Bradley Foundation, the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, the Searle Freedom Trust, the Heartland Institute and the Heritage Foundation. Holden’s letter is an excellent model for those organizations, as well as the energy companies on the list, to use in responding to the senators’ request, should they choose to respond at all.

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