With tonight’s GOP presidential debate in Milwaukee, and the national media spotlight on Wisconsin, Charles and David Koch’s Badger State influence remains as heavy — and harmful to Wisconsinites — as ever. As Bridge Project noted this summer, Wisconsin’s become saturated with Koch candidates and policies over the last several years. And our 2014 report, “How Conservatives Took Over Wisconsin,” gets into the details of the GOP’s 2010 takeover of the state legislature and governor’s mansion.
At this point, Governor Scott Walker’s nothing more than a 2016 presidential also-ran, but the Milwaukee debate has the Koch-favorite — and his Koch-drenched agenda — back in the spotlight. From Walker and the GOP-controlled state legislature’s record of destroying collective bargaining rights — an unabashed assault on Wisconsin’s public employee unions — to their fighting of minimum wage increases and gifting of tax breaks to the wealthy while increasing the burden on working families, they’ve been shilling Koch policies from day one.
And then there’s Walker and Co.’s egregious slashing of state K-12 education funding, oppressing of voting rights, and bolstering of restrictions on women’s right to choose.
Walker’s been a dedicated Koch foot soldier for the past six years, and that made him an early front-runner for the Kochs’ 2016 cash — but it was simultaneously his downfall: Walker’s unwavering commitment to the billionaires’ unpopular policies precipitated his candidacy’s early demise, just two months after it began.
And Walker isn’t Wisconsin’s only high-profile Koch candidate. Charles and David Koch have prolific advocates in Senator Ron Johnson and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan — and a dedicated employee in Rachel Campos-Duffy, LIBRE Initiative spokesperson and wife of Representative Sean Duffy.
Ron Johnson — who’s been described as the Kochs’ “model legislator” — has taken upwards of $30,000 from Koch Industries and dutifully advanced their selfish agenda in the U.S. Senate. And Charles and David have taken note — the two brothers “are sure to support his reelection,” according to Politico.
And then there’s Paul Ryan, who’s “long been a favorite” of the Koch brothers. Ryan’s received close to $100,000 from Koch Industries over the years, and his extreme budget proposals — which among other things have cut education funding while maintaining oil subsidies — have been repeatedly endorsed by Americans for Prosperity. Ryan also joins the Kochs in their climate change agnosticism, their opposition to environmental regulations and renewable energy tax incentives, and their characterization of the Export-Import Bank as a bastion of “crony capitalism.” Needless to say, Charles and David are getting their money’s worth with Paul Ryan.
Tonight, the focus will be on the GOP candidates on stage — and rest-assured, each are prolific Koch panderers in their own right — but in Madison and across the state, working families are suffering under Charles and David Koch’s influence while their candidates continue to promote the two brothers’ self-interested agenda at the expense of Wisconsinites.
Background:
The Kochs And Ron Johnson
Politico: Sen. Ron Johnson Was “Well-Liked By The Big-Spending Koch Brothers, Who Are Sure To Support His Reelection.” According to Politico, “That said, [Sen. Ron] Johnson’s best asset is his ability to self-fund a campaign. He’s also well-liked by the big-spending Koch brothers, who are sure to support his reelection. The well-honed political machine of newly reelected Republican Gov. Scott Walker could be a difference-maker too.” [Politico, 4/5/15]
Ron Johnson’s Support For The Koch Agenda
JOHNSON WAS DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE KOCH’S “MODEL LEGISLATOR” AND HAS HAD AN INCREASINGLY CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM
2014: Johnson Has “Gotten Fairly Close To The Kochs.” According to Slate Magazine, “Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson had actually gotten fairly close to the Kochs, dining with David Koch at the 2012 Republican National Convention and appearing at their donor conferences. ‘I think someone like David Koch, who’s donated a billion dollars to cancer research, I think someone like Charles Koch and the policies they’re primarily promoting, I think they are educating people on the free enterprise system, which just happens to be the best economic system,’ said Johnson after his RLC speech. ‘It’s the one that’s lifted more people out of poverty than any system in the history of the world. From what I know of the Koch brothers, that is what they’re trying to promote.” [Slate Magazine, 6/2/14]
Ken Vogel: Johnson Was Described At “As The Kochs’ Model Legislator.” In a Politico op-ed Kenneth P. Vogel wrote, “On the final full day of the seminar, I noticed Senator Johnson schmoozing two donors at a poolside cabana. I’d heard someone who attended these seminars describe Johnson as the Kochs’ ‘model legislator.’ Figuring I had to make my last few moments count, I walked over and sat down nearby. It was just me, the Kochs’ model senator and the two wealthy backers he was talking to, identified by their name tags as Ned Diefenthal and Rob Ryan.” [Politico, 5/29/14]
JOHNSON VOTED AGAINST THE EXTENSION OF THE WIND ENERGY TAX CREDIT
2012: Johnson Voted Against Extending Wind Energy Tax Credit While Also Allowing Businesses To Receive The Funds As Grants Rather Than As A Tax Credit. In March 2012, Johnson voted against a Stabenow amendment that, according to Congressional Quarterly Today, “extend benefits such as the production tax credit for wind energy producers, which sunsets at the end of the year [2012], and an expired stimulus (PL 111-5) program that allowed businesses to opt for grants instead of tax credits for renewable-energy projects.” The proposed amendment to the Senate’s version of the 2012 federal highway program reauthorization bill was defeated by a vote of 49 to 49; the amendment required 60 votes to pass under a unanimous consent agreement. [Senate Vote 39, 3/13/12; Congressional Quarterly Today, 3/13/12; CRS Summary of S. 1813, 3/14/12]
Americans For Prosperity Encouraged Congress To Let The Wind Tax Credit Expire
Americans For Prosperity Was “Proud” To Call On Congress To Let The Wind Production Tax Credit Expire. According to the Americans for Prosperity website, “Americans for Prosperity is proud to join a coalition calling on Congress to let the Wind PTC expire. Extending this tax provision in a lame duck session would be a mistake and lawmakers should oppose this misguided policy. See the full letter below. ” [Americans For Prosperity, 11/6/14]
Ron Johnson’s Koch Funding
2010 – 2015: JOHNSON ACCEPTED OVER $33,000 IN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM KOCH INDUSTRIES
2010: Johnson Top Contributors Included Koch Industries. According to OpenSecrets.Org, in the 2010 cycle, Johnson’s top contributors included Koch Industries. Contributions detailed in the chart below:
| Contributor | Total |
| Koch Industries | $25,650 |
[OpenSecrets.Org, Accessed 7/30/15]
2015: Ron Johnson For U.S. Senate Accepted $8,000 From Koch Industries. According to Conservative Transparency, in 2015, Ron Johnson For U.S. Senate accepted $8,000 in campaign contributions from Koch Industries. Details listed in the chart below:
| Date | Donor | Recipient | Amount |
| 2015 | Koch Industries PAC | Ron Johnson for Senate | $2,500.00 |
| 2015 | Koch Industries PAC | Ron Johnson for Senate | $500.00 |
| 2015 | Koch Industries PAC | Ron Johnson for Senate | $5,000.00 |
| Total: | $8,000.00 | ||
[Conservative Transparency, Accessed 8/19/15]
The Kochs And Paul Ryan
KOCH CONNECTIONS
US News: Ryan Has “Long Been A Favorite” Of The Koch Brothers. According to US News & World Report, “The vice presidential nominee’s campaign finance record is not without some minor controversy. To begin with, he has long been a favorite of the libertarian billionaires Charles and David Koch. Before entering Congress, Ryan worked with a conservative group that would eventually merge with a Koch brothers’ group to become FreedomWorks, a leading sponsor of the Tea Party movement. Their mutual interests in libertarianism could explain why the private energy corporation Koch Industries has given Ryan more than $65,000 over his career. The Koch brothers have promised to funnel $400 million through outside groups to defeat President Obama this year.” [US News & World Report, 8/14/12]
In 2013 Paul Ryan Spoke At A Secret Gathering Hosted By The Kochs Near Albuquerque. According to Politico, “The Rep. Paul Ryan, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez secretly spoke to wealthy donors at the Koch brothers’ recently concluded summer gathering on the outskirts of Albuquerque. The 2012 vice presidential candidate and No. 2 House Republican are return participants to the twice-annual seminar, which also drew wealthy donors and conservative nonprofit leaders including American Enterprise Institute President Arthur Brooks.” [Politico, 8/7/13]
Koch Industries Has Donated $93,400 To Ryan And Is His Third Largest Donor. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Rep. Paul Ryan has received $93,400 from Koch Industries, which is listed as his third largest donor, since he was elected in 1998. [Center for Responsive Politics, Accessed 10/26/15]
Americans For Prosperity Backed The FY 2013 Ryan Budget. According to AFP’s congressional scorecard for the 112th Congress, AFP took a “yes” position on the House vote on House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2013 to 2022 which included a proposal to increase the Medicare eligibility age to 67 by 2034. According to the Congressional Research Service, “The budget proposal would gradually increase the Medicare eligibility age to 67. Beginning in 2023, the age of eligibility for Medicare would increase by two months each year until it reached 67 in 2034.” The vote was 2012 House vote 151. [AFP Scorecard for the 112th Congress, 2/1/13; CRS Report #R42441, 3/29/12]
Americans For Prosperity Supported The FY 2012 Ryan Budget. In 2011, AFP supported converting Medicaid to a block grant and eliminating federal coverage mandates, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2012 to 2021. According to the House Budget Committee, the budget would “convert[] the federal share of Medicaid spending into a block grant tailored to meet each state’s needs, indexed for inflation and population growth. […] States will no longer be shackled by federally determined program requirements and enrollment criteria. Instead, they will have the freedom and flexibility to tailor a Medicaid program that fits the needs of their unique populations.” The vote was on passage; the resolution passed by a vote of 235 to 193. [House Vote 277, 4/15/11; House Budget Committee, 4/5/11; AFP Scorecard for the 112th Congress, 2/1/13; CRS Report #R41767, 4/13/11]
Ryan Budget
The Budget Plan Cut Spending On Education But Kept Tax Breaks For Oil Companies
Ryan Budget Cut Spending On Education But Kept Tax Breaks For Oil Companies. According to the Daily Beast, “When House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan unveiled the GOP blueprint for cutting government spending, he asked Americans to make sacrifices on everything from Medicare to education, while preserving lucrative tax subsidies for the booming oil, mining and energy industries.” [Daily Beast, 6/17/11]
- Ryan Has Financial Interest In Oil Companies That Benefit From Oil Subsidies.According to the Daily Beast, “The financial disclosure report Ryan filed with Congress last month and made public this week shows he and his wife, Janna, own stakes in four family companies that lease land in Texas and Oklahoma to the very energy companies that benefit from the tax subsidies in Ryan’s budget plan. Ryan’s father-in-law, Daniel Little, who runs the companies, told Newsweek and The Daily Beast that the family companies are currently leasing the land for mining and drilling to energy giants such as Chesapeake Energy, Devon, and XTO Energy, a recently acquired subsidiary of ExxonMobil. Some of these firms would be eligible for portions of the $45 billion in energy tax breaks and subsidies over 10 years protected in the Wisconsin lawmaker’s proposed budget.” [Daily Beast, 6/17/11]
Ryan Proposed Drastic Cuts To Safety Net While Lowering Taxes For Rich
Paul Krugman: Ryan’s 2010 Plan Would “Reduce Revenue By Almost $4 Trillion” And Cause A Deficit Of “Roughly $1.3 Trillion” By 2020. According to an opinion by columnist Paul Krugman for the New York Times, “But the budget office has done no such thing. At Mr. Ryan’s request, it produced an estimate of the budget effects of his proposed spending cuts — period. It didn’t address the revenue losses from his tax cuts. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center has, however, stepped into the breach. Its numbers indicate that the Ryan plan would reduce revenue by almost $4 trillion over the next decade. If you add these revenue losses to the numbers The Post cites, you get a much larger deficit in 2020, roughly $1.3 trillion.” [Paul Krugman – New York Times, 8/5/10]
Krugman: The Tax Policy Center Found That “The Ryan Plan Would Cut Taxes On The Richest 1 Percent Of The Population In Half, Giving Them 117 Percent Of The Plan’s Total Tax Cuts.” According to an opinion by columnist Paul Krugman for the New York Times, “And I do mean slash. The Tax Policy Center finds that the Ryan plan would cut taxes on the richest 1 percent of the population in half, giving them 117 percent of the plan’s total tax cuts. That’s not a misprint. Even as it slashed taxes at the top, the plan would raise taxes for 95 percent of the population.” [Paul Krugman – New York Times, 8/5/10]
Los Angeles Times: “Under Ryan’s Plan…The Internal Revenue Service Would Tax The Wealthiest Americans Less, But Many Of The Poorest Ones More.” According to the Los Angeles Times, “Rep. Paul D. Ryan’s proposed federal budget — now starring as the centerpiece of the presidential campaign as he joins the Republican ticket — would reshape American government, achieving long-sought conservative goals and reversing an 80-year path of larger, more expensive federal programs. Under Ryan’s plan, which has passed the Republican-controlled House twice in slightly different versions, the Internal Revenue Service would tax the wealthiest Americans less, but many of the poorest ones more; Medicare would be transformed; Medicaid would be cut by about a third; and all functions of government other than those health programs, Social Security and the military would shrink to levels not seen since the 1930s.” [Los Angeles Times, 8/14/12]
Taxes
Ryan: Instead Of “Class Warfare,” We Should “Make This Country A Tax Shelter For Other Countries.”According to the transcript of an interview of Rep. Paul Ryan with American Business Magazine, “I think we need to have a tax system that makes America a haven for capital formation. Let’s make this country a tax shelter for other countries instead of having other countries be a tax shelter for America. This would ultimately raise revenues and promote economic growth. The way we should look at increasing revenues to the government should not be class warfare or a bigger than ever tax increase approach. Economic growth comes from job creation and better economic growth policies that raise revenue through higher growth. Lowering tax rates at a broader base of income brings in more revenues and would help us close our fiscal gap.” [American Business Magazine, 8/1/11]
Minimum Wage
Ryan: Raising Minimum Wage Hurts The Poor. According to The USA Today, “Republicans already have signaled their opposition to the latest push, raising concerns that a higher minimum wage would force business owners to cut workers’ hours, slash jobs and raise prices. GOP lawmakers – including potential 2016 presidential candidates Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida – have argued that raising the minimum wage could harm more than help America’s poorest.” [USA Today, 2/4/14]
Ryan: 30 Percent Of Americans “Want The Welfare State.” According to the Huffington Post, “Mitt Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan, share a similarly dim view of a very large portion of Americans, according to previously unreported remarks by Ryan. Both believe that many of their fellow citizens are dependent on government and have no motivation to improve their lives — but they disagree over the precise number. Romney’s estimate, famously, is 47 percent. For Ryan, it’s 30 percent. ‘Seventy percent of Americans want the American dream. They believe in the American idea. Only 30 percent want the welfare state,’ Ryan said. ‘Before too long, we could become a society where the net majority of Americans are takers, not makers.’” [Huffington Post, 10/2/12]
Ryan Said That The 60% Of The American Population Who Receive Benefits Were Turning The Country Into A “Majority Of Takers Versus Makers.” According to Mother Jones, “The GOP vice presidential candidate has repeatedly made statements that suggest he sees America in Ayn Randian terms—that many citizens are just takers, parasites who leech off productive citizens, the makers. As this collection of rarely seen videos shows, this has been a recurrent talking point for Ryan in small gatherings for years. ‘Right now about 60 percent of the American people get more benefits in dollar value from the federal government than they pay back in taxes,’ he said on the June 2010 edition of Washington Watch. ‘So we’re going to a majority of takers versus makers.’ By November 2011, in an address he gave at an American Spectator event, Ryan put the number of takers at 30 percent. (That remark was first reported by Ryan Grim of the Huffington Post.)” [Mother Jones, 10/5/12]
Export-Import
Davis: Chairman Of The House Financial Services Committee Rep. Jeb Hensarling Was Once A Lone Voice In The Wilderness Advocating The Termination Of Ex-Im. According to an opinion by the executive vice president of marketing and communications at Freedom Partners and former communication director at the Republican National Convention, “The ones who don’t should be praised. Representative Jeb Hensarling (R., Tex.), the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, was once a lone voice in the wilderness advocating the termination of Ex-Im. He is still advocating just that — in fact, his committee is holding a hearing on the issue today — and in recent months dozens of other legislators have joined his cause. Representative Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) recently described the Export-Import Bank as an exemplar of “crony capitalism.” Best of all, several potential Republican presidential candidates — including former Florida governor Jeb Bush, Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, and Senators Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, and Ted Cruz — have called on Congress to let Ex-Im expire.” [James Davis – National Review, 4/15/15]
Davis: Hensarling Has Been Joined By Other Legislators, And “Best Of All,” Potential Republican Presidential Candidates, Including Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Sens Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, And Ted Cruz. According to an opinion by the executive vice president of marketing and communications at Freedom Partners and former communication director at the Republican National Convention, “The ones who don’t should be praised. Representative Jeb Hensarling (R., Tex.), the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, was once a lone voice in the wilderness advocating the termination of Ex-Im. He is still advocating just that — in fact, his committee is holding a hearing on the issue today — and in recent months dozens of other legislators have joined his cause. Representative Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) recently described the Export-Import Bank as an exemplar of “crony capitalism.” Best of all, several potential Republican presidential candidates — including former Florida governor Jeb Bush, Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, and Senators Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, and Ted Cruz — have called on Congress to let Ex-Im expire.” [James Davis – National Review, 4/15/15]
Koenig: “A Large Number Of Representatives Led By Reps. Jeb Hensarling (Texas), Paul Ryan (Wis.) And Others Are Waging An Effort To Let Ex-Im Expire” And “Are Joined By Almost All Of The 2016 Presidential Candidates.” According to an op-ed by Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce senior policy adviser Andy Koenig for The Hill, “Fortunately, a growing number of our elected officials now recognize that fact. For Democrats, even Barack Obama has called the bank ‘little more than a fund for corporate welfare.’ On the Republican side, a large number of representatives led by Reps. Jeb Hensarling (Texas), Paul Ryan (Wis.) and others are waging an effort to let Ex-Im expire. They are joined by almost all of the 2016 presidential candidates—even the socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wants to eliminate Ex-Im. Hillary Clinton is the most prominent of the few candidates who have publically advocated for keeping the bank around.” [Andy Koenig – The Hill, 6/29/15]
Climate Change
Rep. Paul Ryan: “I Don’t Know The Answer” To The Question Of Whether Humans Are Causing Climate Change, And “I Don’t Think Science Does, Either.” According to the Associated Press, “One of the sharpest differences came when the moderator asked each candidate if he thought human activity is to blame for changes to the planet’s climate. ‘I don’t know the answer to that question,’ Ryan said. ‘I don’t think science does, either.’” [Associated Press via Huffington Post, 10/13/14]
- Ryan: “Climate Change Occurs No Matter What…I Would Argue That The Federal Government, With All Its Tax And Regulatory Schemes, Can’t” Do Anything About It. According to The Capital Times, “Paul Ryan on Wednesday said the federal government should stay out of the regulatory business when it comes to global warming. ‘Climate change occurs no matter what,’ said the Republican U.S. representative from Janesville. ‘The question is, can and should the federal government do something about it? And I would argue the federal government, with all its tax and regulatory schemes, can’t.’” [Capital Times, 7/31/14]
Ryan In 2009: “Unilateral Economic Restraint In The Name Of Fighting Global Warming Has Been A Tough Sell In Our Communities, Where Much Of The State Is Buried Under Snow.” According to an opinion by Rep. Paul Ryan for The Journal Times, “Unilateral economic restraint in the name of fighting global warming has been a tough sell in our communities, where much of the state is buried under snow and, more importantly, unemployment in the city of Racine remains over 14%.” [Paul Ryan – Journal Times, 12/11/09]
Ryan: “To The Detriment Of The American People, Environmental Issues Have Fallen Victim To The Hyper-Politicization Of Science.” According to an opinion by Rep. Paul Ryan for The Journal Times, “To the detriment of the American people, environmental issues have fallen victim to the hyper-politicization of science.” [Paul Ryan – Journal Times, 12/11/09]
- Ryan: “E-Mail Exchanges From The University Of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit…Make Clear Efforts To Use Statistical Tricks To…And Intentionally Mislead The Public” On Climate Change.According to an opinion by Rep. Paul Ryan for The Journal Times, “At issue in the Journal Times’ recent editorial and on the minds of many Copenhagen observers are published e-mail exchanges from the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit (CRU). These e-mails from leading climatologists make clear efforts to use statistical tricks to distort their findings and intentionally mislead the public on the issue of climate change.” [Paul Ryan – Journal Times, 12/11/09]
EPA Regulation
Rep. Paul Ryan Voted For The Energy Tax Prevention Act Of 2011, Which Would Have Prohibited The EPA From “Promulgating Any Regulation Concerning…The Emission Of A Greenhouse Gas To Address Climate Change.” According to the Library of Congress, “Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 – Amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas (GHG) to address climate change. Excludes GHGs from the definition of ‘air pollutant’ for purposes of addressing climate change. […] YEAS 255 […] RYAN (WI)” [Library of Congress, accessed 10/26/15, 10/26/15]
Ryan: “Bigger Government Has Not Resulted In Better Government, Especially In Regards To The Actions Of The Environmental Protection Agency.” According to a web post by the office of Rep. Paul Ryan, “This budget recognizes the importance of the federal government’s involvement in protecting our nation’s natural resources. However, as we have seen in recent years, bigger government has not resulted in better government, especially in regards to the actions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).” [Office of Rep. Paul Ryan, accessed 10/26/15]
- Ryan: The GOP’s FY 2016 Budget “Streamlines Or Repeals Ineffective And Counter-Productive Regulations Like Many Of Those Put In Place By The EPA.” According to a web post by the office of Rep. Paul Ryan, “However, as we have seen in recent years, bigger government has not resulted in better government, especially in regards to the actions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For this reason, this budget streamlines or repeals ineffective and counter-productive regulations like many of those put in place by the EPA.” [Office of Rep. Paul Ryan, accessed 10/26/15]
Ryan: “I Am Deeply Concerned With” An EPA Regulatory Initiative To “Expand The Scope Of Federal Regulatory Authority Under The Clean Water Act.” According to the office of Rep. Paul Ryan, “The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers intend to implement a rule that would expand the scope of federal regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The proposed rule would assert CWA jurisdiction over nearly all areas with any hydrologic connection to downstream navigable waters, including man-made conveyances such as ditches, pipes, and farmland ponds. This regulatory proposal runs contrary to state water law, previous Supreme Court decisions, and existing compacts. While I believe the federal government has a clear role to play in protecting the environment, I am deeply concerned with this regulatory initiative coming from the EPA.” [Office of Rep. Paul Ryan, accessed 10/26/15]
Solar
The Solar Tribune Gave Rep. Paul Ryan An “F” For His Anti-Solar Positions Including Supporting ALEC’s Anti-Solar Agenda And Trying To Make An Example Of Solar Incentives As A Poor Use Of Federal Funds. According to the Solar Tribune’s 2016 Presidential Campaign Solar Scorecard, Paul Ryan was awarded an “F” for his anti-solar positions. The Solar Tribune went on to say that, “Wisconsin Senator [sic] Paul Ryan, Like Senator Ted Cruz, is heavily tied to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). In addition to supporting ALEC’s anti-solar agenda, Paul Ryan has tried to make an example of solar incentives as a poor use of federal funds. Despite his criticisms, several of the projects he has sited [sic] as failures have actually been successfully completed.” [Solar Tribune, 1/7/15]
Paul Ryan Voted No On The Renewable Energy And Energy Conservation Tax Act Of 2008. According to GovTrack, Paul Ryan voted no on H.R. 5351 (110th): Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008 which would have provided tax incentives for the production of renewable energy and energy conservation. [GovTrack, 2/27/08]
Oil Export Ban
Rep. Paul Ryan Voted Against An Amendment To “Require That All Oil And Refined Fuels Transported Through The Keystone XL Pipeline Be Used Here In The United States And Not Exported.” According to the Library of Congress, “Description: H.Amdt. 75 — 113th Congress (2013-2014) Amendment sought to require that all oil and refined fuels transported through the Keystone XL Pipeline be used here in the United States and not exported, unless the President finds that an exception is required by law or in the national interest. […] NOES 255 […] Ryan (WI)” [Library of Congress, accessed, 10/26/15, 10/26/15]
Puerto Rico
Paul Ryan Has Received $177,058 From Groups That Oppose The Puerto Rico Chapter 9 Uniformity Act Of 2015, As Opposed To $8,925 From Groups That Support The Bailout. According to Maplight, Paul Ryan has received $177,058 from groups that oppose H.R. 870 – Puerto Rico Chapter 9 Uniformity Act of 2015 as opposed to $8,925 from groups that support the bailout. [Maplight, 3/31/15]
The Kochs And Rachel Campos Duffy
Rachel Campos Duffy Is Part Of The Koch Network
Wisconsin’s Rachel Campos-Duffy Is The Spokesperson For The Koch Backed LIBRE Initiative And The Wife Of Wisconsin Representative Sean Duffy
LIBRE Initiative Spokeswoman Rachel Campos Duffy Was Featured At The Republican National Hispanic Assembly Of Illinois’s Biennial Convention. According to the Illinois Review, “The Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois (ILRNHA) held their biennial convention this week at the Diplomat West Banquet Hall in Elmhurst. Among the guests participating in the program were Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti, National Spokeswoman for the Libre Initiative Rachel Campos Duffy, Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger, IL Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider, AM560 Morning show host Dan Proft, DuPage County GOP Chair Darlene Ruscitti and College of DuPage Board Member Kathy Hamilton.” [Illinois Review, 4/24/15]
LIBRE’s Rachel Campos-Duffy Is Married To GOP Rep. Sean Duffy—Both Veterans Of MTV’s “Real World.” According to Salon, “The panel closed with a shout out to [LIBRE’s Rachel] Campos-Duffy’s husband, GOP Rep. Sean Duffy — the pair are veterans of MTV’s ‘Real World’ — for sitting in the audience and taking care of his own children on Father’s Day, while his wife tried to save the world.” [Salon.com, 9/2/14]
Campos-Duffy Criticized President Obama’s Executive Action On Immigration
Spokeswoman For The LIBRE Initiative Rachel Campos-Duffy: President Obama’s Plan For An Executive Order On Immigration “Proves That Obama Has Never Been About Caring About The Hispanic Community.” According to Newsmax, “President Barack Obama’s plan to barrel ahead with an executive order granting amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants is a slap in the face to Hispanics, says Rachel Campos-Duffy, spokeswoman for the LIBRE Initiative and former star of MTV’s ‘The Real World.’ ‘It proves that Obama has never been about caring about the Hispanic community or caring about the things that they want to have done,’ Campos-Duffy said Wednesday on ‘The Steve Malzberg Show’ on Newsmax TV.” [Newsmax,11/5/14]
- Rachel Campos-Duffy: The Executive Order Could End Up “Coaxing People Out Of The Shadows And Potentially Exposing Them To Potential Deportation.” According to Breitbart, “She [Rachel Campos-Duffy] also worried that Obama’s plan could end up causing more harm than help for immigrants, because of its uncertainty and lack of permanence, saying that it could end up ‘coaxing people out of the shadows and potentially exposing them to potential deportation,’ if their applications were denied or if the policy was later reversed.” [Breitbart, 11/28/14]
- Campos-Duffy On Obama’s Executive Order: “If You Don’t Include Border Security, You’re Just Going To Have Another Wave Of Undocumented People Coming Across The Border?” According to Breitbart, “One of LIBRE’s significant concerns, shared by many other conservatives, is the lack of border security measures in Obama’s plan. ‘If you don’t include border security, you’re just going to have another wave of undocumented people coming across the border,’ said Campos-Duffy. ‘What do we do to stem the flow of more people coming?’” [Breitbart, 11/28/14]
Opinions On The GOP Presidential Field
Campos-Duffy Criticized Donald Trump For His Comments On Immigrants
Campos-Duffy: Donald Trump Is Such A Problem For Republicans…Because He Is Sort Of Confirming This Narrative That Conservatives, Or The GOP, Is Against Hispanics. According to an interview of LIBRE Initiative spokesperson Rachel Campos-Duffy on World Over with Raymond Arroyo, Raymond Arroyo: “Just to clarify, 68% [of Hispanics] view Hillary positively, Hillary Clinton. 35% view Marco Rubio, a fellow Latino, positively. Only 36% for Jeb Bush as well.” Rachel Campos-Duffy: “So this is a GOP branding problem. And this is why I believe the Left, the Democrats, really want to keep immigration alive. And why Donald Trump is such a problem for Republicans right now. Because he is sort of confirming this narrative that conservatives, or the GOP, is against Hispanics. I think when we can, when conservatives and the GOP in particular can get immigration off the table – all the issues, look at what is most important to Hispanics, number one the economy, jobs, and education, they want school choice. These are things that the Democrats are against.” [World Over with Raymond Arroyo via YouTube, 7/16/15]
Campos Duffy: The Words Donald Trumps Used Would “Have A Negative Impact” After Being “Edited And Amplified And Repeated Over And Over And Over In Many Of The Outlets That U.S. Hispanics Go To, Especially On The Spanish Language Networks.” According to an interview posted by Right Wisconsin, Rachel Campos Duffy said “I think that Donald Trump’s sort of careless tone and some of the words he’s used will have a negative impact especially as it gets edited and amplified and repeated over and over and over in many of the outlets that U.S. Hispanics go to, especially on the Spanish language networks.” [Right Wisconsin,9/16/15]
Campos-Duffy Defended Jeb Bush’s Use Of The Term “Anchor Baby”
LIBRE Initiative National Spokesperson Rachel Campos-Duffy: “Jeb Bush Does Not Have A Racial Problem With Hispanics,” And It’s “Ridiculous” To Call Him Racist For Using The Term “Anchor Babies.” According to CNN, “Rachel Campos-Duffy, national spokesperson for the conservative group LIBRE Initiative, which works on outreach to Latino voters, agreed that the narrative of Bush being anti-immigrant won’t break through. ‘If people are talking about his use of the term and whether or not Bush is a racist, it’s obviously ridiculous,’ she said. ‘We all heard it. Jeb Bush does not have a racial problem with Hispanics.’” [CNN, 8/23/15]
Campos-Duffy Told The GOP Field To Get Issues Of Immigration “Off The Table” To Get Hispanic Support
Campos-Duffy: “Conservatives And The GOP In Particular” Need To “Get Immigration Off The Table” To Get Hispanic Support. According to an interview of LIBRE Initiative spokesperson Rachel Campos-Duffy on World Over with Raymond Arroyo, Raymond Arroyo: “Just to clarify, 68% [of Hispanics] view Hillary positively, Hillary Clinton. 35% view Marco Rubio, a fellow Latino, positively. Only 36% for Jeb Bush as well.” Rachel Campos-Duffy: “So this is a GOP branding problem. And this is why I believe the Left, the Democrats, really want to keep immigration alive. And why Donald Trump is such a problem for Republicans right now. Because he is sort of confirming this narrative that conservatives, or the GOP, is against Hispanics. I think when we can, when conservatives and the GOP in particular can get immigration off the table – all the issues, look at what is most important to Hispanics, number one the economy, jobs, and education, they want school choice. These are things that the Democrats are against.” [World Over with Raymond Arroyo via YouTube, 7/16/15]
Campos Duffy: Republicans Should Avoid Being “Pulled Into These Extreme Arguments About Birthright” So They Can Focus On Bipartisan Solutions To Achieve Immigration Reform. According to CNN, “Echoing the sentiments of many of those interviewed for this story, Campos-Duffy, who’s personally supporting Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, said Republicans should avoid allowing ‘themselves to be pulled into these extreme arguments about birthright’ and focus instead on solutions that can bridge Republicans and Democrats to achieve comprehensive reform.” [CNN, 8/23/15]
Attacks On Women’s Healthcare And Reproductive Rights
Campos-Duffy HAs Been A Vocal OPPONENT OF Women’s Healthcare Provider Planned Parenthood
The National Right To Life Convention Will Feature LIBRE National Spokesperson Rachel Campos-Duffy As A Guest Speaker. According to National Right to Life News, “The NRLC Convention always provides us with a huge line-up of excellent speakers who motivate, educate and train the grassroots — that goes without saying. But this year I’m even more excited than usual. Why, you ask? Well, one guest speaker, in particular, is someone I’ve dreamed of having with us at the convention for years. She has much to offer the rank and file of the right-to-life movement: brilliant insights, passionate advocacy, a fiery ability to motivate, and a lengthy resume that would impress anyone. Rachel Campos-Duffy is many things.[…] She is the author of the book ‘Stay Home, Stay Happy: 10 Secrets to Loving At-Home Motherhood,’ as well as numerous articles published all over the place (you can read a few of them here and here). She is the national spokesperson for the LIBRE Initiative, which educates and advocates for Hispanics through limited government, entrepreneurship and self-reliance; and from time to time you may even turn on your television and find her guest-hosting on The Today Show or Outnumbered on FOX.” [National Right to Life News, 5/12/15]
- The “Best Place” To See Campos-Duffy Is At A General Session Called “The So-Called War On Women: Identifying The REAL Victims Of The Abortion War” At The NRLC Convention. According to National Right to Life News, “In short, I can personally attest that Rachel Campos-Duffy is someone that you want to meet, and from whom you can learn great things. Probably the best place to do that is at the Thursday afternoon general session (aptly titled ‘The so-Called War on Women: Identifying the REAL Victims of the Abortion War’) at the upcoming NRLC Convention in New Orleans. (Yep. Totally shameless plug. You NEED to be there!) And I strongly suspect that after listening to her for a few minutes, you will probably feel as I do – that we desperately need more like her in our world and on the front lines of the cause of life.” [National Right to Life News, 5/12/15]
Rachel Campos Duffy: There Was “An Unprecedented Opportunity To Take Government Funding Out Of A Very Morally Despicable Organization Called Planned Parenthood.” According to an interview posted by Right Wisconsin, Rachel Campos Duffy said “We’re in the middle of, I think, an unprecedented opportunity to take government funding out of a very morally despicable organization called Planned Parenthood. And so, yeah, it’s going to be interesting to see if he does that or if it’s just passing and I think if he doesn’t give it the weight that I think it deserves– the moral weight it deserves– there’s going to be a lot of Catholics that go to church faithfully every Sunday that are going to be left confused and disheartened. You’re going to have a movement– a pro-life movement that has made really great strides in turning the tide of public opinion– they’re also going to feel let down by the Pope.” [Right Wisconsin, 9/16/15]
Campos Duffy: The Pro-Life Movement Would “Feel Let Down By The Pope” If He Did Not Highlight The Planned Parenthood Issue. According to an interview posted by Right Wisconsin, Rachel Campos Duffy said “We’re in the middle of, I think, an unprecedented opportunity to take government funding out of a very morally despicable organization called Planned Parenthood. And so, yeah, it’s going to be interesting to see if he does that or if it’s just passing and I think if he doesn’t give it the weight that I think it deserves– the moral weight it deserves– there’s going to be a lot of Catholics that go to church faithfully every Sunday that are going to be left confused and disheartened. You’re going to have a movement– a pro-life movement that has made really great strides in turning the tide of public opinion– they’re also going to feel let down by the Pope.” [Right Wisconsin, 9/16/15]
Published: Nov 10, 2015