May 28, 2012

David Koch, co-owner of the Koch Industries petrochemical, manufacturing and commodity speculation fortune, hasn’t been shy about supporting Governor Scott Walker (R-WI), whose controversial union-busting agenda has forced a recall election this summer. Earlier this year, Koch told the Palm Beach Post: “We’re helping him, as we should. We’ve gotten pretty good at this over the years. We’ve spent a lot of money in Wisconsin. We’re going to spend more.”

Indeed, Koch has spent millions through the Republic Governors Association, through a network of attack-ad airing front groups, and financed a set of local Wisconsin think tanks to show support for Walker.

Now, it appears, Koch is spending money even in Illinois to help save Walker. Americans for Prosperity, a group founded by the Koch brothers, is advertising bus trips with free food for Illinois residents who commit to traveling to Wisconsin to help Walker:

The buses leave from Chicago, Homer Glen, and Palatine on June 2nd — just days before the Wisconsin recall election.

As Koch mentioned, his political machine has “gotten pretty good at this over the years.” Here’s a video I shot of Koch providing dozens of free buses for anti-health reform protesters back in 2009:

A similar strategy played out back in 1993. As ThinkProgress reported: