Koch brothers network pours millions into effort targeting equality champion Tammy Baldwin

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization, responded to the Koch brothers’ latest efforts to influence an election by pouring an additional $1 million of out-of-state money in an attempt to defeat Sen. Tammy Baldwin in her re-election bid.

Sen. Baldwin has been the top target of big money special interest groups this election cycle, who have already spent upwards of $10 million to oust her — more than four times what has been spent against her Democratic colleagues.

“Big powerful special interests groups and right-wing out-of-state billionaires have set their eyes on Tammy Baldwin and opened their checkbooks in an effort to defeat her, setting record after record with their barrage of unprecedented spending and attack ads in our state,” said HRC Wisconsin state director Wendy Strout. “As two anti-LGBTQ extremists, who have pledged to double down on the Trump-Pence administration’s discriminatory agenda duke it out for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination, the people of Wisconsin know that Senator Baldwin will continue to stand up to special interests and fight for all Wisconsin families. That’s why HRC is on the ground working hard to ensure that every day Wisconsinites have a voice in this election and turn out for equality, despite these attempts by out-of-state billionaires to decide who will represent us.”

The Koch brothers and their affiliated groups have already unleashed more than $4 million dollars in attacks against Sen. Baldwin, labeling her defeat one of their top priorities this cycle. Groups backed by out-of-state anti-equality mega-donor Richard Uihlein, who supported disgraced Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore throughout his entire campaign last year despite the appalling allegations against Moore, have also already spent more than $5 million on their efforts to defeat Senator Baldwin. Uihlein has a long history of backing far-right political candidates and organizations that have been identified as anti-LGBTQ hate groups.

Read more: https://www.wisconsingazette.com/views/koch-brothers-network-pours-millions-into-effort-targeting-equality-champion/article_a1968c1c-85ff-11e8-8c4a-5bca53a968b8.html