COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - From a luxury hotel on the edge of the Rocky Mountains, some of the nation's most powerful Republican donors are rebelling against Donald Trump.Billionaire industrialist Charles Koch, host of the exclusive weekend retreat, did not mention Trump by name as warned that political leaders are giving "frightening" answers to America's challenges. One of his chief lieutenants was more direct as he made clear that Koch's expansive political network would not use its tremendous resources to help Trump win this fall.
"We're focused on the Senate," said Mark Holden, general counsel and senior vice president of Koch Industries.
He noted that none of the presidential candidates are aligned with the Koch network "from a values, and beliefs and policy perspective." Trump's dire warnings of growing crime in America, Holden said, simply aren't accurate.
"We're much safer," Holden said. "That's what the data shows."
Koch described the 2016 "political situation" this way: "We don't really, in some cases, don't really have good options."
The comments came Saturday, the first of a three-day gathering for donors who promise to give at least $100,000 each year to the various groups backed by the Koch brothers' Freedom Partners - a network of education, policy and political entities that aim to promote a smaller, less intrusive government.
The ambitious Koch network has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to influence politics and public policy over the last decade, but don't plan to spend anything to help Trump, even if some of the 400 or so deep-pocketed donors gathered in Colorado Springs this weekend think it should.
Trump thumbed his nose at the gathering from Twitter.
"I turned down a meeting with Charles and David Koch," the New York billionaire tweeted. "Much better for them to meet with the puppets of politics, they will do much better!"
The weekend's agenda for the estimated 400 donors gathered in Colorado Springs featured a series of policy discussions and appearances from at least three governors, four senators and four members of the House of Representatives, including House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey talked up policy successes in their states on Saturday night, avoiding discussion of the 2016 presidential contest altogether. When it was his turn, Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner touched on the race for the White House, although he did not mention Trump's name.
"Forty years worth of Supreme Court justices are going to be determined this November," Gardner told donors, a reference to the next president's ability to fill at least one existing vacancy on the high court.
Those yet to appear include Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas. Rep Jason Chaffetz of Utah and Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado.
Koch later told his guests that America's frustrated electorate is looking at the wrong place - politicians - for answers.
"And to me, the answers they're getting are frightening," he said without naming any politicians, "because by and large, these answers will make matters worse."
Charles and David Koch have hosted such gatherings of donors and politicians for years, but usually in private. The weekend's event includes a small number of reporters, including one from The Associated Press.
Koch has put the network's budget at roughly $750 million through the end of 2016.
A significant portion was supposed to be directed at electing a Republican to the White House. It will instead go to helping Republican Senate candidates in at least five states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Wisconsin and Florida, Holden said, noting that the network has dedicated $42 million so far to television and digital advertising to benefit Republican Senate candidates.
In some cases, the network may try to link Democratic Senate candidates to Clinton, he added, but there are no plans to go after her exclusively in paid advertising. The organization may invest in a handful of races for governor and House of Representatives as well.
And while the network will not be a Trump ally, it won't necessarily be a Trump adversary either.
"We have no intention to go after Donald Trump," Holden said.
Now, I am seriously considering voting for Trump. Fuck all this BIG money in elections; it eventually leads to: "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine."
May Scruffy have a warm soft bed in Paradise.
#1: GrandIsland To: buckeroo (#0)
He'll be the man who stopped KILLary... and you, all your Paultatd drug addict loving suckhole friends and Gary Johnson didn't do a F*ckin single thing to stop her or help stop her.
For that, if and when we collapse, I'll shoot Paultards on sight just as fast as I will democrats. Just remember, Sucky Bucky, FIFTY THOUSAND PRIMERS. That's all needed to exterminate all the Ron Paul cult followers since he was as popular as Kunta Kinte at a David Allen Coe concert. lol
Colorado is a filthy libtarded pot head state. Who gives a shit what those libtarded gun haters do?
GrandIsland posted on 2016-07-31 12:45:32 Reply Private Reply
#2: ConservingFreedom To: buckeroo (#0)
Sounds good to me. Last time the federal budget ran a surplus we had a Clinton in the White House and a genuine opposition in Congress.
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-07-31 12:58:54 Reply Private Reply
#3: buckeroo To: GrandIsland (#1)
What are you going to do with the primers? Paste them on the soles of your shoes, tap dancin' away as though you were mimicking Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire?
buckeroo posted on 2016-07-31 12:59:52 Reply Private Reply
#4: misterwhite To: buckeroo (#0)
misterwhite posted on 2016-07-31 13:21:54 Reply Private Reply
#5: Vicomte13 To: buckeroo (#0)
If Trump overcomes them, he needs to use the power he will gain to break them, so they cannot interfere in US elections again.
Vicomte13 posted on 2016-07-31 13:22:48 Reply Private Reply
#6: GarySpFC To: Vicomte13 (#5)
GarySpFC posted on 2016-07-31 15:32:31 Reply Private Reply
#7: tpaine To: THIS MAN NEEDS HELP!! get out the nets (#1)
tpaine posted on 2016-07-31 15:53:23 Reply Private Reply
#8: buckeroo To: tpaine (#7)
buckeroo posted on 2016-07-31 16:00:14 Reply Private Reply
#9: tpaine To: buckeroo (#8)
tpaine posted on 2016-07-31 16:05:24 Reply Private Reply
#10: GrandIsland To: tpaine, buckeroo (#9)
GrandIsland posted on 2016-07-31 16:48:12 Reply Private Reply
#11: VxH To: misterwhite (#4)
{ Applauding }
VxH posted on 2016-07-31 16:48:31 Reply Private Reply
#12: buckeroo To: GrandIsland, sneakypete (#10)
buckeroo posted on 2016-07-31 17:09:08 Reply Private Reply
#13: GrandIsland To: buckeroo (#12)
WAZ he hacked?
lol
GrandIsland posted on 2016-07-31 17:13:27 Reply Private Reply
#14: Deckard To: GrandIsland, buckeroo (#1)
Your rapid descent into criminal insanity continues unabated.
You really do need to be locked away in a padded room somewhere you drooling psycho.
Deckard posted on 2016-07-31 17:18:41 Reply Private Reply
#15: buckeroo To: GrandIsland (#13)
buckeroo posted on 2016-07-31 17:18:44 Reply Private Reply
#16: Fred Mertz To: Deckard (#14)
Seconded.
Fred Mertz posted on 2016-07-31 17:32:39 Reply Private Reply
#17: tpaine To: Fred Mertz, Y'ALL (#16)
Thirded
tpaine posted on 2016-07-31 17:52:07 Reply Private Reply
#18: GrandIsland To: tpaine, Fred Mertz, f*ckeroo, Decktard (#17)
If you liberal drug addict loving assholes are too liberally thin skinned to read my posts, then put me on your ignore filter. Like liberal Willie Green did.
lol
GrandIsland posted on 2016-07-31 18:04:50 Reply Private Reply
#19: buckeroo To: GrandIsland (#18)
buckeroo posted on 2016-07-31 18:10:14 Reply Private Reply
#20: GrandIsland To: buckeroo (#19)
Them do so, Willie Green wanna-be. He needed to blind himself from th confederate flags, too.
lol
GrandIsland posted on 2016-07-31 18:14:46 Reply Private Reply
#21: tpaine To: GrandIsland (#18)
Sorry kid, but I don't ignore, -- I laugh at you.
You're funny. (In the mental sense)
tpaine posted on 2016-07-31 18:17:23 Reply Private Reply
#22: no gnu taxes To: buckeroo (#0)
no gnu taxes posted on 2016-07-31 18:40:21 Reply Private Reply
#23: buckeroo To: no gnu taxes (#22)
buckeroo posted on 2016-07-31 19:05:06 Reply Private Reply
#24: ConservingFreedom To: Vicomte13 (#5)
None of that in the article: 'the network has dedicated $42 million so far to television and digital advertising to benefit Republican Senate candidates. [...] "We have no intention to go after Donald Trump," Holden said.'
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-07-31 20:17:12 Reply Private Reply
#25: Vicomte13 To: buckeroo (#15)
Wpuld it matter if he were? Seriously, would it make a difference?
Why?
For my part, I really don't care what people do, as long as they don't do it in the streets and disturb the horses.
Sneakypete had strong ideas, and he expressed them. Don't ever recall ever having spoken with him about sex. Didn't seem likely to come up, unless somebody brought it up, to make some sort of point about it.
He never did, I never did, Sex is not part of the universe I think about when I think about sneakypete. I think Vietnam. I think a really tough mental attitude about things. I think about the part-Indian folks, which I believe he was. I think of somebody who crossed swords with me a lot, and with a lot of heat and passion.
That's good - he believed what he said, just like me. He believed different things. That never bothered me: it's a big old world, and differences of opinion is what makes for good horse-races.
Sex never came up, though, so I'm not sure why anybody's think sneakypete was gay, or not. And even if it were, what difference would THAT make? Old guys talking about sex on the Internet? Why bother?
I guess it's really an issue for some. I've never understood the mindset.
Vicomte13 posted on 2016-08-01 17:59:48 Reply Private Reply
#26: buckeroo To: Vicomte13, sneakypete, GrandIsland (#25)
Because, sneakypete *IS* not a queer; moreover, sneakypete is falsely accused by a self-centered, aggrandized BS artist.
Beyond having the freedom of expression which comes stating an opinion, posters should base their opinions on FACT and not hearsay, gossip and innuendo. GrandIsland is a goddamned liar and cheat while he falsely accuses a Vietnam war hero of his dignity.
And YOU, for even asking the question have certainly shown yourself to be one shallow dumbfuck.
buckeroo posted on 2016-08-01 20:02:52 Reply Private Reply
#27: buckeroo To: GrandIsland (#26)
buckeroo posted on 2016-08-01 22:10:00 Reply Private Reply
#28: GrandIsland To: buckeroo (#27)
GrandIsland posted on 2016-08-01 22:29:22 Reply Private Reply
#29: buckeroo To: GrandIsland, sneakypete (#28)
Quit quibbleing and admit you FUCKEDUPPED.
buckeroo posted on 2016-08-01 22:37:25 Reply Private Reply
#30: Vicomte13 To: buckeroo (#26)
You're just a lonely, mean old alcoholic. I forgive you.
Vicomte13 posted on 2016-08-02 06:18:45 Reply Private Reply
#31: BobCeleste To: buckeroo (#0)
Ho humm, wake me when the shooting starts.
BobCeleste posted on 2016-08-02 08:43:27 Reply Private Reply
#32: BobCeleste To: GrandIsland (#1)
sometimes you sound like me.
BobCeleste posted on 2016-08-02 08:44:44 Reply Private Reply