Koch Industries and Lobbying in Washington
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Desmog profile on Koch Family Foundations
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DeSmog Profile on Koch Industries, Inc.
According to data from OpenSecrets, Koch Industries has spent more than $115,372,700 on combined lobbying activities between 1998 and 2017 with approximately 96% of that total ($110,520,000) going to the Oil and Gas Industry. [1]
| Year | Oil & Gas | Mining | General Contractors | Forestry & Forest Products | Chemical & Related Manufacturing | Grand Total |
| 2017 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | ||||
| 2016 | $3,050,000 | $3,050,000 | ||||
| 2015 | $10,830,000 | $10,830,000 | ||||
| 2014 | $13,700,000 | $13,700,000 | ||||
| 2013 | $10,430,000 | $10,430,000 | ||||
| 2012 | $10,550,000 | $10,550,000 | ||||
| 2011 | $8,360,000 | $8,360,000 | ||||
| 2010 | $8,070,000 | $8,070,000 | ||||
| 2009 | $12,450,000 | $12,450,000 | ||||
| 2008 | $17,930,000 | $40,000 | $1,773,000 | $280,000 | $20,023,000 | |
| 2007 | $4,170,000 | $80,000 | $720,000 | $98,750 | $5,068,750 | |
| 2006 | $3,360,000 | $140,000 | $440,000 | $28,750 | $3,968,750 | |
| 2005 | $1,200,000 | $80,000 | $840,000 | $65,000 | $2,185,000 | |
| 2004 | $760,000 | $40,000 | $40,000 | $17,200 | $857,200 | |
| 2003 | $520,000 | $50,000 | $40,000 | $610,000 | ||
| 2002 | $760,000 | $80,000 | $840,000 | |||
| 2001 | $500,000 | $500,000 | ||||
| 2000 | $240,000 | $240,000 | ||||
| 1999 | $240,000 | $240,000 | ||||
| 1998 | $200,000 | $200,000 | ||||
| Grand Total | $110,520,000 | $430,000 | $160,000 | $3,773,000 | $489,700 | $115,372,700 |
Lobbying Expenditures: Koch Industries and Subsidaries
The following is based on raw data collected from the Lobbying Disclosure Act Database at the United States Senate. View the attached spreadsheet for a data on Koch Industries’ & Subsidiaries’ lobbying activities by year (.xlsx). [2]
Koch Industries
| Registrant Name | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2017 |
| KOCH INDUSTRIES, INC. | $240,000 | $240,000 | $500,000 | $760,000 | $520,000 | $760,000 | $1,200,000 | $4,940,000 | $6,700,000 | $26,480,000 | ||
| Hogan Lovells US LLP | $80,000 | $160,000 | $200,000 | $160,000 | $280,000 | $300,000 | $340,000 | $280,000 | $220,000 | $220,000 | $0 | |
| SIFF & LAKE LLP | $100,000 | $200,000 | $220,000 | |||||||||
| Capitol Tax Partners, LLP | $220,000 | $240,000 | $30,000 | |||||||||
| THE RHOADS GROUP | $140,000 | $240,000 | ||||||||||
| ALEXANDER STRATEGY GROUP | $90,000 | $142,500 | $80,000 | |||||||||
| Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP | $200,000 | |||||||||||
| Cardenas Partners, LLC | $100,000 | $100,000 | ||||||||||
| LPI Consulting, Inc. | $100,000 | $40,000 | $0 | |||||||||
| Blank Rome LLP | $20,000 | $40,000 | $0 | $40,000 | $0 | |||||||
| ERNST & YOUNG | $60,000 | |||||||||||
| Rebecca Hawes | $45,000 | |||||||||||
| Pyle Consulting, Inc. | $40,000 | |||||||||||
| Covington & Burling LLP | $20,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |||||
| Mr. John Stinson | $20,000 | $0 | ||||||||||
| PERCEPTUM CONSULTING | $20,000 | |||||||||||
| ALSTON & BIRD LLP | $0 | $0 | $0 | |||||||||
| Valis & Keelen, LLC | $0 | |||||||||||
| TONGOUR & SCOTT | $0 | |||||||||||
| Grand Total | $500,000 | $440,000 | $720,000 | $920,000 | $910,000 | $1,242,500 | $1,720,000 | $5,620,000 | $7,620,000 | $27,205,000 | $30,000 | $200,000 |
Koch Companies Public Sector
| Registrant Name | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC | $18,190,000 | $14,070,000 | $10,580,000 | $15,590,000 | $15,500,000 | $27,500,000 | $13,630,000 | $12,240,000 | $3,100,000 | ||||
| Hunton & Williams LLP | $40,000 | $140,000 | $80,000 | $150,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $170,000 | $200,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $230,000 | $30,000 |
| Palmetto Group | $220,000 | $180,000 | $320,000 | $380,000 | $260,000 | $335,000 | $30,000 | ||||||
| Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas, Inc. | $20,000 | $150,000 | $200,000 | $240,000 | $300,000 | $240,000 | $140,000 | ||||||
| Siff & Associates PLLC | $50,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $210,000 | $190,000 | $200,000 | $50,000 | |||||
| Capitol Tax Partners, LLP | $180,000 | $240,000 | $240,000 | $60,000 | |||||||||
| Capitol Counsel LLC | $290,000 | $320,000 | $80,000 | ||||||||||
| CGCN GROUP, LLC (formerly known as Clark Geduldig Cranford & Nielsen, LLC) | $50,000 | $132,000 | $144,000 | $144,000 | $144,000 | $72,000 | |||||||
| MWR Strategies, Inc. | $80,000 | $120,000 | $60,000 | $70,000 | $80,000 | $80,600 | $70,000 | $80,000 | $40,000 | ||||
| S-3 Group | $40,000 | $100,000 | $120,000 | $120,000 | $30,000 | ||||||||
| Crossroads Strategies, LLC | $110,000 | $200,000 | $50,000 | ||||||||||
| SIFF & LAKE LLP | $190,000 | $150,000 | |||||||||||
| Cove Strategies | $150,000 | $170,000 | |||||||||||
| Ice Miller Strategies LLC | $10,000 | $60,000 | $70,000 | $50,000 | $30,000 | ||||||||
| Cypress Advocacy, LLC | $20,000 | $20,000 | $40,000 | $40,000 | $40,000 | $40,000 | $10,000 | ||||||
| The Nickles Group, LLC | $200,000 | ||||||||||||
| Mr. PETER LOUGHLIN | $0 | $0 | $40,000 | $40,000 | $20,000 | $35,000 | $15,000 | $10,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Grand Total | $40,000 | $140,000 | $100,000 | $420,000 | $19,270,000 | $15,100,000 | $11,725,000 | $16,817,000 | $16,614,600 | $29,289,000 | $15,134,000 | $13,512,000 | $3,360,000 |
Invista
| Registrant Name | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Grand Total |
| INVISTA | $17,200 | $65,000 | $28,750 | $141,250 | $440,000 | $692,200 | |||||||||
| ADS Ventures, Inc. | $90,000 | $80,000 | $170,000 | ||||||||||||
| MILLER & CHEVALIER, CHTD | $40,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $40,000 | ||||||||||
| Hogan Lovells US LLP | $20,000 | $0 | $0 | $20,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $40,000 | |
| Grand Total | $17,200 | $125,000 | $28,750 | $141,250 | $460,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $942,200 |
Entergy-Koch LP
| Registrant Name | 2002 | 2003 | Grand Total |
| ENTERGY–KOCH LP | $120,000 | $120,000 | |
| Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP | $40,000 | $0 | $40,000 |
| Grand Total | $160,000 | $0 | $160,000 |
Georgia Pacific Corporation
| Registrant Name | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | Grand Total |
| GEORGIA–PACIFIC LLC | $360,000 | $456,240 | $400,000 | $480,000 | $1,780,000 | $1,440,000 | $840,000 | $440,000 | $1,440,000 | $2,593,000 | $10,229,240 |
| ALSTON & BIRD LLP | $800,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $800,000 | ||||||
| McDermott Will & Emery LLP | $340,000 | $0 | $340,000 | ||||||||
| Kilpatrick Townsend Stockton LLP | $120,000 | $120,000 | $240,000 | ||||||||
| Grace Terpstra | $0 | $60,000 | $50,000 | $64,000 | $18,000 | $192,000 | |||||
| Nossaman LLP (Formerly Nossaman LLP/O’Connor & Hannan) | $0 | $0 | $40,000 | $10,000 | $50,000 | ||||||
| C2 GROUP, LLC | $20,000 | $20,000 | |||||||||
| McGuireWoods Consulting (A Subsidiary of McGuireWoods LLP) | $20,000 | $0 | $20,000 | ||||||||
| Crowell & Moring LLP | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||||||
| MCNAIR LAW FIRM, P.A. | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |||||||
| Grand Total | $360,000 | $476,240 | $440,000 | $490,000 | $2,920,000 | $1,440,000 | $1,020,000 | $630,000 | $1,504,000 | $2,611,000 | $11,891,240 |
Koch Mineral Services
| Registrant Name | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | Grand Total |
| Hunton & Williams LLP | $100,000 | $40,000 | $80,000 | $140,000 | $80,000 | $40,000 | $480,000 |
| Winston & Strawn LLP | $0 | $0 | |||||
| Grand Total | $100,000 | $40,000 | $80,000 | $140,000 | $80,000 | $40,000 | $480,000 |
Flint Hills Resources
| Registrant Name | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | Grand Total |
| Flint Hills Resources, LP | $2,800,000 | $4,110,000 | $6,910,000 | |||
| GENTRY & ASSOC, RAGON | $0 | $0 | ||||
| WayPoint Consulting, LLC | $0 | $0 | $0 | |||
| Grand Total | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,800,000 | $4,110,000 | $6,910,000 |
Nancy Pfotenhauer, Koch, and Lobbying
Nancy Pfotenhauer (formerly Nancy Mitchell) was an advisor to Senator John McCain during his presidential election campaign, and a former director of Koch Industries’ Washington office. Pfotenhauer was Koch Industries’ chief in-house lobbyist from 1996 to 2001. Her lobbying efforts were focused on gas pipelines. In 2001, Nancy Pfotenhauer left Koch Industries to become the president of the Independent Women’s Forum, a conservative research group that receives funding from Koch Industries. [3], [4]
In 2003, the Independent Women’s Forum became affiliated with the Citizens for a Sound Economy (now Americans for Prosperity). Pfotenhauer served as president and CEO of Americans for Prosperity and executive vice president of policy for Citizens For a Sound Economy. Citizens for a Sound Economy was co-founded by the late David H. Koch and has received a combined total of at least $12,906,712 in grants from the Koch Family Foundations. Americans for Prosperity has received $1,000,000 in funding. [5], [6], [7]
The Mercatus Center
The Mercatus Center is a conservative think tank located at George Mason University that regularly lobbies in the federal government. Koch Industries has funded the Mercatus Center since the 1980s. [8]
Koch and the Bush Administration
During George W. Bush’s second presidential term, his administration tried several times to appoint individuals who were “pro-industry” to important environmental positions. However, the Senate blocked the president’s continued efforts. Included in the president’s nominations were Alex Beehler and Susan Dudley, both of whom have connections to Koch Industries.
Susan Dudley was the director of Regulatory Studies at the Mercatus Center. Dudley opposes federal regulation. She lobbied against the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempts to reduce smog, produce cleaner gasoline, and remove arsenics from drinking water. President Bush nominated Dudley to be the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. The person working in this position can interfere, without scrutiny, in the dealings of agencies such as the EPA. This position can also be used as a conduit for industries to avoid federal health and environmental standards. [9]
Bush also nominated Alex A. Beehler to be the Inspector General of the EPA. The Inspector General oversees EPA management and conducts audits. Beehle’s environemental highlights include: lobbying for military activities to be exempt from environmental regulations, and trying to influence the EPA‘s decision on creating a health standard for perchlorate, a rocket fuel component. Perchlorate can impair fetal brain development and has contaminated water in 25 U.S. states. At Koch Industries, Beehler worked as the director of environmental and regulatory affairs. He also served as vice president for environmental projects at the Charles G. Koch Foundation. [9], [10]
While the senate was not in session, George W. Bush by-passed the Senate and appointed Susan Dudley to be the Director of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. She served as Director from 2007 to 2008.
Resources
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“Koch Industries: Profile for 2014 Election Cycle,” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed June 27, 2016.
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Lobbying Disclosure Act Database Query. Performed May 18, 2017. Archived .xlsx data on file at DeSmog.
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Carol eisenberg. “McCain adviser Nancy Pfotenhauer learned ropes as lobbyist, crusader,” Muckety, September 26, 2008. Archived May 18, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/eyl2Q
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“Independent Women’s Forum,” Conservative Transparency. Accessed May 18, 2017.
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“Nancy Pfotenhauer,” Americans for Prosperity. Archived May 18, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/LVwo2
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“Overview: Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE) / Freedom Works,” Public Citizen. Archived August 3, 2009. Archive.is URL:https://archive.is/nUxFZ
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“Aggregated Grants from the Charles G. Koch, David H. Koch, and Claude R. Lambe Foundations,” Media Transparency. Archived June 2, 2009. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog.
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“Koch and George Mason University,” DeSmog.
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Frank O’Donnell. “Still Hiring Tree-Haters,” TomPaine.com, January 11, 2007. Archived January 7, 2009. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/cGsGw
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Judy Pasternak. “Bush Again Pushes 3 Nominees Seen as Pro-Industry,” CommonDreams, April 1, 2007. Archived May 18, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/eakzc
