while the kochs claim they didn't enter the political sphere until the bush administration david koch did run for vice president on the libertarian ticket in 1980 and koch industries spent hundreds of thousands on political contributions during each presidential cycle since the 1990's. i was just wondering why the cotches are trying to hide -- the kochs are trying to hide their long involvement in politics and if you could answer that for me. >> that is a good question. i would argue with the thesis anyone is trying to hide their involvement. like any company throughout the years koch industries was involved in politics and through their contributions. david koch did run for vice president in 1980 on the libertarian ticket but what i was referring to is the seminars that started bicharles and david with a group of donors started in 2003 but both of those facts are absolutely correct. >> thank you. the koch network has made climate change denial litmus tests for supporting political candidates. if it is truly sincere about criminal justice reform will the koch network pledge to only su

koch industries spokesman steve lombardo recently discussed the political influence of charles and david kochluded the network of think tanks and political groups supported by the koch brothers. this is 45 minutes. >> good morning. on behalf of faculty, staff, and students, i would like to welcome you and thank you for joining us this morning. the institute's mission is to engage and empower citizens to engage in the civic and political community. this morning's speaker, steve lombardo, is a graduate of saint and some college, class of 1981. he went on to achieve his esters of public policy. he serves as chief communication and marketing officer at koch industries, a politically active company with annual revenue of 115 billion dollars. mr. lombardo will be presenting a talk entitled, the ugly political spin, how koch is dr iving freedom, fairness, and prosperity. we will have a brief question-and-answer period. please wait until the student ambassador with the microphone reaches you before answering your question. please welcome steve lombardo. [applause] mr. lombardo: thank you. it's a plea

our principal shareholders are charles and david koch. that name will either cause you to shutter or smile depending on your political perspective. i want to talk to you about the company i work for, the people i work for, what they stand for, what they do. i want to have a discussion about that. i encourage questions afterwards, and i know i have got some fairly faces in the crowd and perhaps some not so fairly, but i look forward to that discussion. based on what you've read on tv, you have come in with a perception, a notion, perhaps which you've heard over the years may or may not be accurate. do is tope today to fill in that information gap and talk about what we do. let me ask you a question. if i ask you if you want to live in a country that maximizes peace and stability and well-being for all its citizens, i'm sure your answer would be yes. if i ask if you believe in integrity, respect, and tolerance, and that they are important qualities to have both as a person and as a nation, i'm pretty sure your answer would be yes. you what

while the kochs claimed they did not enter the political sphere until the bush administration, david coke did run for vice resident on the libertarian ticket in 1980 and koch ofustries spent hundreds thousands on political contributions during each presidential cycle since the 1990's. i was wondering why the kochs are trying to hide their long involvement in politics, and if you could answer that for me. mr. lombardo: i would argue with that these is that anyone is trying to hide their political involvement. wasughout the years koch involved in politics through their contributions. david koch did run for vice president in 1980 on the libertarian ticket, and so what i was referring to was that the seminars that started by charles and david with a group of donors actually started in 2003, but both of those facts are correct. network has made climate change denial litmus tests for supporting political candidates. if it's truly sincere about criminal justice reform, will to only network pledged support pro-criminal justice reform candidates? guess is the i question that if we support a po

while the kochs claim they didn't enter the political sphere until the bush administration david koch did run for vice president on the libertarian ticket in 1980 and koch industries spent hundreds of thousands on political contributions during each presidential cycle since the 1990's. i was just wondering why the cotches are trying to hide -- the kochs are trying to hide their long involvement in politics and if you could answer that for me. >> that is a good question. i would argue with the thesis anyone is trying to hide their involvement. like any company throughout the years koch industries was involved in politics and through their contributions. david koch did run for vice president in 1980 on the libertarian ticket but what i was referring to is the seminars that started by charles and david with a group of donors started in 2003 but both of those facts are absolutely correct. >> thank you. the koch network has made climate change denial litmus tests for supporting political candidates. if it is truly sincere about criminal justice reform will the koch network pledge to only s

joining us, senior council at koch industries and member of the wichita gang coalition and real men real heros, davidam. >> we got an e-mail saying we don't agree with the kochs on everything but we agree with this. >> i'm a lover, not a fighter. i'm a pats fan. i've been meeting with ms. jarrett a lot and this is a bipartisan coalition. >> at a time when washington can't get things fixed, you're doing something that would have been politically unimaginable, you, the white house, aclu, this is fairly controversial legislation but there's a bipartisan effort to really change criminal justice in america. >> it really shouldn't be that controversial. it needs to be a bipartisan effort because we know we got into this mess in the criminal justice system in a bipartisan way. it started in the 80s with reagan and bush and hillary clinton and joe biden. what we're talking about, the forms in the senate reform bill are reforms that have worked in dozens of states, including red states, georgia, texas, and the reality is in those states they've reduced incarceration, reduced spending and they've reduced crime

david koch, charles koch's brother doesn't come from inside the republican world.was the libertarian candidate for vice president all the way back in 1980. he was the most successful libertarian ticket ever with some money to do advertising and stuff. charles koch's story, the guy there, interesting because it's indicative of more broadly where the base, the conservative base of the republican party has been for the last decade and gt into politics, republican politics around 2003 or so. and so, he came in with george w. bush relatively new as president. he came in kind of giving george w. bush the benefit of the doubt. hey, here's a republican, conservative president. going to get our policies, the kind we like. he talked in the interview, too, souring on bush as the decade wore on and elected as a conservative and government expanded on his watch and didn't down size the federal government and the exclamation point is what did the bush presidency lead to? it led to massive unpopularity of george w. bush and the election of barack obama and the expansion of the sa

that's what this is all about for charles and david koch. bigger profits, more money, $100 billion or more isn't enough. by their own admission, the kochs will spend and spend and spend until they get the government they want, a government that lets koch industries do what it wants, a government whose sole role is to make these billionaires even richer. and unfortunately for the united states, the supreme court has constructed a political system that allows them to do just that. citizens united, this case citizens united, cited in january, 2010, has effectively put the united states government up for sale to the highest bidder. right now the highest bidder are the koch brothers. right now, our country has no real restrictions on how much money a billionaire or millionaire can spend to buy the government they want. all the power goes to the wealthy, and that puts middle-class americans at a significant disadvantage. so we can't stand idly by while our government sits on the auction block, and neither should any american sit idly by. instead, w

while the kochs claimed they did not enter the political sphere until the bush administration, david coke did run for vice resident on the libertarian ticket in 1980 and koch industries spent hundreds of thousands on political contributions during each presidential cycle since the 1990's. i was wondering why the kochs are trying to hide their long involvement in politics, and if you could answer that for me. mr. lombardo: i would argue with that these is that anyone is trying to hide their political involvement. throughout the years koch was involved in politics through their contributions. david koch did run for vice president in 1980 on the libertarian ticket, and so what i was referring to was that the seminars that started by charles and david with a group of donors actually started in 2003, but both of those facts are correct. >> the koch network has made climate change denial litmus tests for supporting political candidates. if it's truly sincere about criminal justice reform, will the koch network pledged to only support pro-criminal justice reform candidates? mr. lombardo: i g

our principal shareholders are charles and david koch. don't lie, that name either makes you shutter or smile based on your political perspective. what i want to do today is talk about the company i work for, the people i work for, and what they stand for, what we do, and have a discussion about that. i look forward to that discussion. based on what you have read on tv, you have come in with a perception, a preconceived notion. perhaps what you have heard over the years may or may not be accurate. what i hope to do is fill in the information got for you might have, and talk a little bit about what we do. to kick things off, let me ask you a question. if i ask you, do you want to live in a country that maximizes these and stability, and citizens, i'm pretty sure your answer would be yes. if i asked you if you believe in integrity, respect, responsibility, and tolerance, and they are important qualities to have, both as a person and a nation, i'm pretty sure your answer will be yes. if i asked you what is the best way to promote and preserv

i am currently communications industries.koch areprincipal stockholders charles and david koch. i will talk you about the people i work for and what we do. we can have a discussion about that. i will take questions. there are some friendly faces and some not so friendly ones. based of what you have read and seen on tv, you come in with a the kochn about brothers. do you want to live in a country that maximizes piece and stability and well-being, i am pretty sure your answer would bs. if i ask you do you believe in integrity and respect, and that these are important qualities to have both as a person and as a nation, i'm pretty sure your answer would be yes. but i asked you what was the best way to promote these qualities, the answers would vary. that is because there are many different and competing views on how to achieve those goals. that is what i want to talk about this morning. vision is a vision that believes in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. with minimal interference from government. vision leaves most decision-making to the individual. a much different divis

david koch ran for vice president of the united states on the libertarian party ticket. what his agenda was, it was not to cut social security or medicare. but to end social security, end medicare, end medicaid and the epa and the kept of the environmental protection agency. beak he wanted to eliminate virtually every program developed since fdr designed to help working people and the middle class. that is their agenda. and to tell you the truth, you know, 30 years have come and gone, i don't think that agenda has changed at all. what these guys are doing is spending unbelievable sums of money, $900 million of this campaign psych to support right wing candidates who are going to war big-time against working families and the middle class. i do not think the koch brothers want to make life better for ordinary people. >> there was this study that has been getting a lot of attention, was published yesterday. we just talked about it just a few moments ago. i talked about it in which the mortality rates for white people in this country, 45 to 55, are going up when the mortalit

you forget, david koch actually ran for vice president as a libertarian back in 1980. charles koch didn't really get active in politics until about 10, 15 years ago. he talked in this interview about being sort of soured by the experience of standing with george w. bush, feeling he let conservatism down. surprising to see, but made me wonder, are the koch brothers going to play any major role in the republican side inn ipickina candidate? >> you know, i think that's why mika and joe went down and had this interview with the kochs to try to suss out where they might throw their support, especially given the role they tried to play in the last few election cycles. but when you have charles koch there saying that he is trying -- he's been practicing his response to the question of who they would support, makes me wonder whether they will get into it. look, they can put in as much money as they want to behind a presidential candidate or behind lots of policy initiatives. but i think if none of the republican candidates is able to wrangle any money from the koch brothers, it

. >>> earlier this morning prominent republican donors, influential businessmen charles and david koch sat down with my colleagues, joe scarborough and mika brzezinski. during that exclusive interview on "morning joe," charles koch made it known a surprising revelation -- they aren't sold on any candidate. >> do you see a candidate out there that's not -- >> not in great measure. >> not in great measure. i'm trying to be diplomatic. >> i take it it is not donald trump. >> i'm not -- listen. i made a vow, i'm not going to publicly comment on any comment. david said some nice words about walker. >> right. >> and that was written up that we were giving millions to his campaign. you know how much we've given to his campaign? >> i hope none. >> zero. >> let's bring in the political panel now. "washington post" columnist and msnbc contributor e.j. dion. senior contributor for the daily caller, matt lewis. e.j., you buying that from the koch brothers? >> you know, i thought that was a very clever pr operation they're engaged in. they kind of -- two brothers, amiably talking about playing rugb

. >> we're going to have the first joint interview with charles and david koch.ack. price, our disciplined investment approach remains. we ask questions here. look for risks there. and search for opportunity everywhere. global markets may be uncertain. but you can feel confident in our investment experience... ... around the world. call a t. rowe price investment specialist, or your advisor... ...and see how we can help you find global opportunity. t. rowe price. invest with confidence. count on being slammed this hwith orders. we're getting slammed with orders. and my customers knowing right when their packages arrive. totally slammed! introducing real-time delivery notifications. one more reason this is our season. they come into this iworld ugly and messy. ideas are frightening because they threaten what is known. they are the natural born enemy of the way things are. yes, ideas are scary, and messy and fragile. but under the proper care, they become something beautiful. it's a calling. a love affair. a quest. the next horizon. everyone loves the chase. >>> st

initiative, one of the organizations that is part of the large koch network, funded by charles koch and his brother, davidd they're trying to reach out to latinos, giving out turkeys in los angeles. it's all part of spreading the free market message and getting latinos to look at republicans. so this is very relevant to this debate that we're having about immigration and the efforts of some conservatives to try to make inroads with this audience. >> thank you, my round table tonight, up next, top columnist and former reagan speech writer peggy noonan will be here. this is "hardball," the place for politics. handshake. ay,no! don't do that! try head & shoulders instant relief. it cools on contact, and also keeps you 100% flake free. try head & shoulders instant relief. for cooling relief in a snap. >>> senator ted cruz tied with donald trump in a new poll. cruz and trump are topped with 27 apiece. ben carson, 13, and hillary clinton on top with 61% of democrats backing her in texas. bernie sanders gets a surprising 30% down there. texas holds its primary on super tuesday march 1st. and we'll be right back.

or at least a parody of one, larry david repriced his spot on inn percent nation of bernie sanders in his open. >> there are taking millions of collars from the kochrs and exxon mobil. but not mean. i only accept coins, i'm not talking about fancy coins like dimes and quarters, i just want nickless and pennies, and i don't want new pennies, i'm talk being those old pennies that are so covered in hard black gunk you can't even read the date. so, america, if you believe in bernie, i need you to go home, open your closet, pull out your vacuum, dump it upside down and send me all the pennies that fall out of it. that's right, i'm bernie sanders, and i want your vacuum pennies. >> that's just too good. one of trump's best moments he appeared with not one but two "snl" doper gainingers during his monologue before they were interrupted by david. >> they're great. they don't have my talent, my money or especially my good luxe, but do you know what, they're not bad. and we're going to have a lot of fun tonight. >> you're a racist. >> who the hell is -- i knew this was going to happen. who is is that? >> trump is a racist. >> it's larry david. what are you

kudos to david cameron meeting with el sisi would our president would do. isis is all over the place like koch roaches. >> they are. >> we don't know if that happened or this happened. they don't want to appear blowback for their president attacking anti-assad forces. however, my heart goes out to the families, sincerely, obviously. listen, they take some of these savages attention away from us, put it on russia. if there is silver lining for america, i would say, at -- >> i don't know about that. andrea: katetee russians are focusing on pakistanis and chechens. vladmir putin a acutely aware of the threat isis poses. he said if this is isis, he better watch out, because putin is coming for them. >> if turns out isis is responsible for downing this plane, that is the single biggest mistake they have ever made because putin now will retaliate. he won't mess around like president obama has done. it will be, i think, extraordinarily massive. and i think he needs to do that for a number of reasons, including his domestic political calculus. >> he's right. >> look out. >> people who say things poorl

david. all, why do you call yourself club for growth when you might as well call yourself koch industries because that is who you represent. with the value added tax, that is a regressive tax. that hurts poor people more than it does rich people. in this trickle-down theory that reagan started, you know, that does not work. it has been shown to not work. the middle class is disappearing because of it. i would like to get your comments. guest: i think the biggest reason we are seeing a >> guest: i think the biggest resourcing a struggling middle class is actually been this notion that we should increase our regulatory programs, make welfare a very rich safety net rather than a temporary assistance for people. and there is no hope of their that if you work hard, save your money, tried to a better life for your family that you would get ahead. i think the reagan era reversed that temporarily, and then starting with president clinton and some of his policies, outside of the tech area, increased regulation and certainly with president obama's efforts where he subsidized the rich wall street banks but

david. all, why do you call yourself club for growth when you might as well call yourself koch industries becausehat is who you represent. with the value added tax, that is a regressive tax. that hurts poor people more than it does rich people. in this trickle-down theory that reagan started, you know, that does not work. it has been shown to not work. the middle class is disappearing because of it. i would like to get your comments. guest: i think the biggest reason we are seeing a struggling middle class is actually this notion that we should increase our regulatory programs, make welfare a very rich safety net, rather than temporary assistance for people, and there is no hope said that if you work hard, save your money, try to have a better life for your family that you will get ahead. i think the reagan era reversed temporarily, and started with president clinton, and some of his policies, increased regulation, and certainly present obama's efforts -- president obama's efforts where forcedidized banks, but costs forto have huge epath care, and regulations, all of that is what has deprived the

david. all, why do you call yourself club for growth when you might as well call yourself koch industries because that is who you represent. with the value added tax, that is a regressive tax. that hurts poor people more than it does rich people. in this trickle-down theory that reagan started, you know, that does not work. it has been shown to not work. the middle class is disappearing because of it. i would like to get your comments. guest: i think the biggest reason we are seeing a struggling middle class is actually this notion that we should increase our regulatory programs, make welfare a very rich safety net, rather than temporary assistance for people, and there is no hope said that if you work hard, save your money, try to have a better life for your family that you will get ahead. i think the reagan era reversed temporarily, and started with president clinton, and some of his policies, increased regulation, and certainly present obama's efforts -- president obama's efforts where forcedidized banks, but costs forto have huge epath care, and regulations, all of that is what has deprived t