Excerpt – emphasis ours:
Political Interests
Charles and David Koch are sometimes referred to as “GOP kingmakers.” They have given millions of dollars to the campaigns of Republican candidates over the years. Their organizations provide grants to more than 250 colleges and universities for research and education programs, including the Institute for Humane Studies, which promotes individual liberty and free market economics. The Charles Koch Institute offers professional education programs to help individuals “successfully advance economic freedom through their careers.” It actively seeks doctoral students to advance academic research in the fields of “free societies” and “human well being and prosperity.”
According to a Politico article, the Koch brothers have invested more in politics than virtually any other individuals in America. The article also noted that their advocacy groups employed 1,200 full-time staffers in 107 offices in the U.S., more than three times the size of the Republican National Committee (RNC).
David spoke about his interests in politics during a 2014 interview with The Associated Press. He said, “[His father] was extraordinarily fearful of our government becoming much more socialistic and domineering… So from the time we [David and his brothers] were teenagers to the present, we’ve been very concerned and worried about our government evolving into a very controlling, socialist type of government.”
Fred Koch was an active member of the John Birch Society, a group dedicated to fighting communism. Charles helped co-found the Cato Institute in 1977, which is a think tank that supports libertarian causes, such as civil liberty protections.