*Similar releases will be sent targeting candidates in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Missouri, Nevada, Florida, Arizona, Arkansas and Illinois
Charles Koch told MSNBC he does “expect something in return” for his political donations. This week, we’ll highlight how the Senators and Senate candidates who accepted Koch cash and benefit from the support of Koch front groups are making sure the Kochs get their money’s worth – all at the expense of the middle class.
Senator Kelly Ayotte has a long record of siding with the Koch Brothers and their political front group, Americans for Prosperity, at the expense of New Hampshire seniors. Ayotte supported a budget that would turn Medicare into a voucher program, which could raise healthcare costs for seniors and essentially end Medicare as we know it, and she also voted for a devastating proposal that would force “deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare.” The Kochs touted these proposals, and given their direct support of Ayotte, it’s clear that this is just one of the many areas where the billionaire brothers got “something in return” from Ayotte, who is leaving middle class families hanging out to dry.
“The Kochs told us what we already knew: their support for Senator Ayotte isn’t free, and vote after vote, she’s sold out New Hampshire’s best interests to make sure the Koch money keeps flowing,” said Lauren Passalacqua, DSCC National Press Secretary. “Kelly Ayotte sided with billionaires over the needs of the middle class when she voted to end Medicare as we know it. New Hampshire needs a Senator who is less concerned with appeasing outside special interests that bankroll her campaign and more focused on protecting seniors.”
BACKGROUND
Ayotte Voted With Americans For Prosperity For The FY 2012 Ryan Budget. In May 2011, Ayotte voted with Americans for Prosperity, who supported a “yes” vote on a: “Reid, D-Nev., motion to proceed to the concurrent resolution that would allow $2.859 trillion in new budget authority for fiscal 2012.” The motion was rejected 40-57. [AFP Scorecard, Accessed 11/14/15; H.Con.Res. 34, Vote 77, 5/25/11]
- Wall Street Journal: Ryan Plan “Would Essentially End Medicare.” “Republicans will present this week a 2012 budget proposal that would cut more than $4 trillion from federal spending projected over the next decade and transform the Medicare health program for the elderly, a move that will dramatically reshape the budget debate in Washington. The budget has been prepared by Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican and the new chairman of the House Budget Committee. […] The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11]
- National Journal: Ryan Budget Policies “Would Begin Affecting Millions of Seniors Almost Immediately By Increasing Costs For Prescription Drugs And Probably Long-Term Care.” “The policies in the House GOP budget, if enacted, would begin affecting millions of seniors almost immediately by increasing their costs for prescription drugs and probably long-term care. Further, Medicare costs could rise over time if healthier seniors choose to abandon the traditional benefit program.” [National Journal, 6/2/11]
Ayotte Voted With Americans For Prosperity For The Cut, Cap & Balance Plan. In July 2011, Ayotte voted with Americans for Prosperity, who supported a “no” vote on a: “Reid, D-Nev., motion to table (kill) the Reid motion to proceed to the bill that would make an increase in the debt limit contingent upon the passage of a balanced-budget constitutional amendment. The bill also would set fiscal 2012 discretionary spending at $1.019 trillion and enforce statutory caps that limit spending as a percentage of gross domestic product in fiscal 2012 through 2021.” [AFP Scorecard, Accessed 11/14/15; CQ,7/22/11; H.R. 2560, Vote 116, 7/22/11]
- CBPP: Cut, Cap And Balance Bill “Would Necessitate Deep Cuts” To Social Security And Medicare, “Big Cuts” To Social Security And Medicare Would Be “Inevitable.” “The legislation would inexorably subject Social Security and Medicare to deep reductions. The measure does not cut Social Security or Medicare in 2012. And it does not subject them to automatic cuts if its global spending caps are missed. It is inconceivable, however, that policymakers would meet the bill’s severe annual spending caps through automatic across-the-board cuts year after year; if they did, key government functions would be crippled. Policymakers would have little alternative but to institute deep cuts in specific programs. And as noted elsewhere in this statement, before the debt limit could be raised, Congress would have to approve a constitutional balanced budget amendment that essentially requires cuts even deeper than those in the Ryan budget. Reaching and maintaining a balanced budget in the decade ahead while barring any tax increases would necessitate deep cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. After all, by 2021, total expenditures for these three programs will be nearly 45 percent greater than expenditures for all other programs (except interest payments) combined. Big cuts in these programs would be inevitable.” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/16/11]
Politico: Americans For Prosperity Was “The Main Political Arm” Of The Koch Brothers. “The Koch brothers’ main political arm intends to spend more than $125 million this year on an aggressive ground, air and data operation benefiting conservatives, according to a memo distributed to major donors and sources familiar with the group.” [Politico, 5/9/14]
AYOTTE HAS A NEARLY 90 PERCENT LIFETIME RATING FROM AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY
Ayotte Had An 88% Lifetime Rating From Americans For Prosperity. [Americans for Prosperity, Accessed 11/15/15]
AYOTTE RECEIVED MORE THAN $35K IN KOCH CASH & BENEFITED FROM A DAVID KOCH NEW YORK CITY FUNDRAISER
Members Of The Koch Family, Including David Koch, Have Contributed $12,000 To Ayotte.
[Influence Explorer, Accessed 5/15/15]
Koch Industries’ PAC Contributed $23,500 To Ayotte And Her Leadership PAC. [Influence Explorer, Accessed 5/15/15]
Ayotte Attended A $10,000-A-Plate Fundraiser For The Koch Brothers In New York City. “Big money donor David Koch hosted a $10,000-a-plate fundraiser in Manhattan Monday night for four, Republican Senate candidates including Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH according to published reports. Koch’s hometown favorite is August Wolf, a GOP hopeful running against Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, The Connecticut Mirror reported. But other benefactors of the event were GOP Senators Roy Blunt of Missouri, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Ayotte, the newspaper reported Monday. Ayotte finished the most recent quarter impressively with more than $5 million in the bank.” [NH1, 10/20/15]
AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY HAS ALREADY SPENT MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS TO SUPPORT AYOTTE’S RE-ELECTION & THE GROUP’S PRESIDENT SAID THEY WILL BACK HER BECAUSE OF HER “REALLY GOOD VOTING RECORD”
Aug. 2015: Americans For Prosperity Aired Attack Ad In New Hampshire Against Hassan. “The conservative issues group Americans for Prosperity on Monday will begin a more than $1 million, 20-day television advertising buy to criticize Gov. Maggie Hassan for her veto of a state budget that included business tax cuts. Hassan said she vetoed the budget bill because the cuts would have left the budget out of balance. Republicans disagree. The 30-second ad, entitled, ‘Cherish Freedom,’ is the first-ever AFP TV ad in New Hampshire focusing on state policy issues, the group’s New Hampshire director, Greg Moore, told WMUR.com. […] Democrats are calling the ad by the Koch brothers-funded group a ‘completely false’ and ‘dishonest attempt’ by an out-of-state group to ‘meddle in New Hampshire’s budget process’ and help Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte.” [WMUR, 8/6/15]
- Americans For Prosperity Ad Buy In NH Was $1.2 Million. “AFP targets Hassan with $1.2 million ad buy: Americans for Prosperity is targeting New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan with a $1.2 million television buy criticizing her handling of the state budget.” [Politico Morning Score, 8/6/15]
America’s For Prosperity President Said They Would Likely Back Ayotte In 2016 Because Of Her “Really Good Voting Record.” “Tim Phillips, the president of Americans for Prosperity, the flagship group in Charles and David Koch’s network of politically active nonprofits, dropped by POLITICO’s Rosslyn headquarters last week to chat 2016. So which Republican senators is the group most likely to back with TV ads thanking them for their stances on issues next year? AFP has been impressed with Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Rob Portman of Ohio, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Phillips said. Ayotte ‘had a really good voting record on a lot of pretty tough issues, in a state that Barack Obama carried twice,’ he said.” [Politico, 11/6/15]
