Again, what’s the obsession with the Koch brothers?
I almost skipped over this story at Powerline since I thought it seemed to be a bit too local for me, but I stuck with it since John Hinderaker’s stuff is always good. How the heck does a journalist do this and get away with it?
The author Mike Ivey …
[H]as been a reporter with The Capital Times for over 20 years, covering local news, business and the environment. He’s a seven-time First Award winner with the Wisconsin Newspaper Association.
While you read the lede of the story, you learn a local commission will be hiring a Louisiana firm to help manage a state-wide energy efficiency program, but that firm has a questionable environmental history itself. OK, we’ve heard that type of story before, the fox guarding the chicken coop. But Ivey dropped the following paragraph – the third paragraph – into the story.
Shaw also has some ties to Koch Industries, the Wichita, Kan., firm that has been a big booster of embattled Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. But there is no indication that Koch Industries would profit from the deal.
I can’t figure out if the author dropped the Koch reference into the story to somehow improve search placement or if he too has KDS – Koch Derangement Syndrome.
Hinderaker at Powerline notes.
This drive-by reference is the only time Koch Industries is mentioned in the Capital Times article. Which makes sense: Koch has absolutely nothing to do with the story. Shaw won the contract; there is no suggestion that Koch bid on it or has anything whatsoever to do with it. So why is the Capital Times gratuitously dragging Koch into the story?
So what is the connection? It would be difficult to determine if the two companies had any business ties, but so what if they did? I’m certain many people worked with or work for Koch Industries. You want to bet the Wisconsin public sector union pension fund has investments in Koch Industries or one of their subsidiaries?
Oh, I found a connection…
Mr. Michael J. Kershaw currently is Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of The Shaw Group Inc, having held this position since December 2007. Mr. Kershaw first joined the company in September 2007 … Prior to joining Shaw, since 2005, Mr. Kershaw served as Vice President, Accounting and Finance, for the E&C segment of KBR, Inc., … From 2003 until 2005, Mr. Kershaw served as Senior Controller for KBR. Prior to his employment by KBR, from 1997 until 2002, Mr. Kershaw served in several positions with Koch Industries, Inc.
So the “ties” seem to be a CEO that used to work at Koch Industries two companies and more than four jobs ago?
Media bias…
9 Comments
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I think it started with the fake phone call Walker received from a fake Koch.
The ending was the best.
Fake Koch: "once you crush these bastards, I'll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time."
Walker: "All right," the other man says, "That would be outstanding"
The Koch Bros. are cowards. They have political motives but they want to protect their identities. They own several big companies one of which is Georgia Pacific makers of toilet paper and other products. They want liberals and all the fools they want to control, to buy their products so they can make their cash. They find useful idiots such as Walker to do their dirty work and then they cash in on their spoils. If the Koch Bros. were honest they wouldn't hide behind anyone, they would push their greed on everyone in the open. The Dems say what you will don't hide they proudly push ttheir agenda. America lets all flush the Koch bros. with some Georgia Pacific paper DOWN THE AMERICAN STANDARD TOILET !!!!
"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."
Yeah, right!
It is called free speech. If the anti Koch people complained as loudly about George Soros, or Bloomberg, the now regretful Buffet, or even the big unions you might be believable. You just attack the Koch's because they fund conservative people and groups.
Try some tolerance, and if you don't want to use toilet paper, don't. Maybe you can get some crunchy, recycled paper with pictures of Che Guevara on it.
Geez Crystal, whose case do you think you're making when you point out exactly what the issue is? The key word is FAKE. And no incriminating statement was made by Walker other than a political preference. Where do you people see a problem there? No Liberal ever said anthing like that? Have you seen what is happening at NPR? Or is that type of journalist behavior only OK for lefties? No double standard to see here.
It's kinda like seeing racism and hatred in the TEA party while the libtards destroy Wisconsins capital.
"You want to bet the Wisconsin public sector union pension fund has investments in Koch Industries or one of their subsidiaries?"
Koch Industries is the second largest private company in the US. It is safe to say that the Unions don't own any Koch Industries stock. (They de-listed GP when they bought it)
As to what is the obsession with the Koch brothers. (Who are not Conservatives BTW) I hate to say it, but it's really Glenn Becks fault. Beck started pointing out who George Soros really is, so the Left needed someone to demonize. Since the Koch's don't believe in AGW and some other lefty causes, they were chosen.
They say that when the left accuses the right of doing something it is because that is what the left is doing. Well everything that Soros is doing, they accuse the Koch's of doing.
Good point, but via NRO on March 1 … "According to the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB), the Wisconsin Retirement System owns $5.5 million in Georgia Pacific corporate bonds."
So Beck points out the Soros connection in all things lefty media, global finance manipulation and support for every and any socialist organization in America, and the Lefties demonize successful free market capitalists, right?
Just checkin'
Demonizing the Koch Brothers works for the left. But when the subject is Soros – oh those hateful righties.
When Bush senior says he's gonna "kick a little @$$" in the election, well that means poor little Geraldine Ferraro. The N.O.W. goes nuts. When Bill Clinton has his fling in the oval office – crickets from N.O.W.
And where are those anti war folks? And those who wanted Gitmo closed? HMMMM!