New Report: “¿Cómo se Dice ‘Koch Brothers Front Group’? ANSWER: LIBRE Initiative” by LVP & Bridge Project

For Immediate Release
April 29, 2016

Pili Tobar | 305-890-3076 | pili.tobar@latinovictory.us
Dawn Le | 202-549-6798 | dle@americanbridge.org

 

Latino Victory Project and Bridge Project
Release Report
“¿Cómo se Dice ‘Koch Brothers Front Group’?
ANSWER: LIBRE Initiative”
New Report Reveals How The Kochs Mislead Latinos to Pad Their Bottom Line

Washington, DC – Today, Latino Victory Project and Bridge Project released the report “¿Cómo se Dice Koch Brothers Front Group? ANSWER:LIBRE Initiative.”  The report gives an overview of the billionaires’ “Latino” organization, and their deceiving tactics to rally Latinos to advance the Koch brothers’ financial interests–at the expense of Latino families and communities.

“We know the Koch brothers are no friends of the Latino community. Our families won’t be fooled by LIBRE Initiative’s tactics,” said Pili Tobar, Communications Director of Latino Victory Project. “They’re giving away free turkeys and offering English classes–and that’s nice–but it’s not going to convince any Latino voters to change their […]

Read more after the jump.

Bridge Project Digital Ads Targeting NCLR Conference Reveal Truth Of Koch-Backed LIBRE Initiative

Bridge Project today announced it is running digital ads targeting attendees of the National Council of La Raza’s Annual Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, highlighting the truth behind the subversive motives of the Koch-funded LIBRE Initiative — a Koch brothers Latino-outreach front group, whose political motivations run counter to those of the Hispanic community.

One of the ads will target the group’s executive director, Daniel Garza, whose past comments reveal the LIBRE Initiative’s true agenda. Garza has expressed outrage over DACA, the executive order protecting DREAMers, denouncing it as “pandering” and “dangerous,” and called DAPA — which would extend those protections to members of DREAMers’ families — “executive overreach.” A second ad will highlight a LIBRE Initiative spokesperson’s unabashedly offensive characterization of undocumented immigrants as “illegals.”

The truth is LIBRE Initiative’s sole mission is to promote the Koch agenda above all else — and it shamelessly does so at the expense of Hispanics, by actively campaigning […]

Read more after the jump.

One More LIBRE Lie: ‘Voter ID Laws Don’t Hurt Latinos’

It’s well documented that voter ID laws disproportionately disenfranchise Latinos, the same demographic for which the LIBRE Initiative claims to be advocating. Yet, the Koch-backed organization’s executive director, Daniel Garza, said he was in favor of the policy yesterday, with NBC News reporting Garza claims “he has no problem with requiring identification to vote because he believes in preserving the ‘integrity’ of the vote.”

The truth is: needless voter ID laws only serve to build up barriers to the ballot box for those that aren’t receptive to the Koch brothers’ regressive vision for America. As the New York Times noted on Monday, “There is virtually no in-person voter fraud; the purpose of these laws is to suppress voting.” Even a top RNC official admitted voter fraud is basically a straw-man of the right’s creation.

Read more after the jump.

REPORT: Kochs’ LIBRE Initiative is Harmful to Hispanic Community

Bridge Project is continuing the “Month’s Supply of Koch” with the release of the latest report on the Kochs’ LIBRE InitiativeToday Bridge Project is also releasing a new 50-second Spanish language web ad “Los hermanos Koch se oponen al Papa por el cambio climático,” about the Kochs’ attacks on the pope for the Holy Father’s efforts to deter climate change.

The report is a comprehensive look at the Koch-backed LIBRE Initiative that deceptively brands itself as a “grassroots organization” that pushes messages of “liberty, freedom and prosperity,” founded to “empower Hispanics.” The group is actually run by Republican operatives and financed almost entirely by the Koch network.

Read more after the jump.

Florida Man Buys State: Koch Impacts in the Sunshine State

Through their decades in business and politics, Charles and David Koch have honed their methods for rigging the system in their favor, both through their national operations and activities. Their history in Florida is indicative of this overall multifaceted strategy, which includes lobbying and raising funds for politicians, using their advocacy network to sway public policy, and leveraging financial donations to universities to buy professors that promote their worldview. Time and time again, the Koch brothers’ self-interested actions proved to be beneficial to their bottom line at the expense of hardworking Floridians.

Read more after the jump.

NEW VIDEO: Bridge Project declares May as “Month’s Supply of Koch”

Starting with a spring 2014 expose on David Koch‘s libertarian run for president, Bridge Project has been committed to exposing the Koch brothers. In addition to the Real Koch Facts website — updated constantly with new information about the Kochs agenda and shady tactics — Bridge Project has released research on their efforts in states including Wisconsin and North Carolina. Now, the Kochs are set to spend almost $900 million this election and their invisible primary has Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Rand Paul auditioning to be the most Koch-friendly candidate. In response, Bridge Project is dedicating the month of May to shining a light on the Koch brothers and their sprawling political organization, bringing you a “Month’s Supply of Koch.”

We’ll be building on our existing work and taking a deeper dive into new states and constituency groups. Since Charles Koch continues to insist that their political spending has nothing to do with boosting Koch Industries’ bottom line, he and David shouldn’t mind Bridge Project digging into their secretive right-wing operations.

Read more after the jump.