|  David
Koch is one of America's richest men -- and one of the most generous
benefactors to libertarian causes. Over the years, Koch has donated
millions of dollars to free-market organizations.
Born in 1940, David Koch was one of four bothers (along with Charles,
William, and Frederick) who inherited control of Koch Industries, a
natural gas, petroleum, asphalt, fertilizers, fibers, minerals, and
plastics conglomerate. It is now the second largest privately owned
company in the United States, with annual revenues of more than $35
billion. Koch serves as executive vice president of the Wichita, Kansas-based
company.
With a personal fortune of about $3.1 billion, Koch was listed in 2004
by Forbes magazine as the 116th richest person on the planet.
He owns a mansion in Aspen, Colorado that features a collection of 5,000
bottles of vintage wine, and he hosts an annual New Year's Eve party
that attracts 1,000 guests.
Koch also has "a strong interest in libertarian theory," according
to People for the American Way, and he gives generously to groups that
promote a "free-market philosophy."
The list of organizations funded by Koch reads like a Who's Who of the
libertarian movement. Through his David H. Koch Foundation, he has written
checks to the Cato Institute, Citizens for a Sound Economy, the Institute
for Justice, the Reason Foundation, the Heartland Institute, the Libertarian
Party, the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy, and others.
He also funds fellowship and scholarship programs for the Institute
for Humane Studies at George Mason University. His donations aren't
paltry: Koch (along with brother and fellow libertarian Charles) has
given the Cato Institute more than $21 million.
As Koch explained to National Journal (May 16, 1992): "My
overall concept is to minimize the role of government and to maximize
the role of private economy and to maximize personal freedoms."
In 1980, Koch translated his principles into politics when he ran for
vice president as a Libertarian with running mate Ed Clark. He also
contributed $1.6 million to the campaign, to purchase network television
ads. The ticket won 921,299 votes (1.06 percent), still the high-water
mark for a Libertarian Party presidential campaign.
By the late 1980s, Koch had redirected most of his political contributions
to Republican causes. In 2000, he and his wife gave $487,500 to Republican
candidates. He still serves on the board of directors for the Reason
Foundation and the Cato Institute.
-- Bill
Winter
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