Well, not precisely with the Koch Brothers but close enough (and besides, the “evil Koch Brothers” are proven bi-partisan click bait in Vermont). Governor-elect Phil Scott will be flying to Florida this week to attend the Republican Governors Association’s two-day post-election conference.
At two million dollars the Kochs were the largest contributors to the Republican Governors Association(RGA) in 2016 according to opensecrets.org.
The RGA then, in turn coughed up big bucks – almost $3 million dollars – to support Scott’s campaign win here in Vermont. It is worth noting that with Trump’s ascendance in the national GOP, the Kochs have been channeling more and more resources – reportedly $750 million – to extend their influence to state GOP office holders at all levels.
A theme of this week’s RGA gathering is “leading the change,” and featured speakers include public employee union-busting Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, climate change denier Gov. Rick Scott of Florida, and Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina. Of the three only Haley has been critical of Trump, but she also accepted contributions from him.
Phil Scott’s first national excursion as governor-elect is to go racing off, following the money to schmooze at the RGA conference with union busters and climate change deniers. And the man who spoke so often about “hitting the pause button” will spend time hearing about “leading the change.” Who is this “authentic Vermonter?” Looks pretty different on the road from his campaign image when he’s at home.
There is no longer any reason for equivocating.
Anyone who accepts money from the national party shares in their guilt for whatever Donald Trump and his minions get up to. They are married to climate change denial, opportunistic xenophobia, racism and misogyny.
Ethical lapses among Democrats cannot begin to hold a candle to what Republicans have embraced in accepting Donald Trump as their leader.
Aw,but Phil is such a nice guy.Doesn’t everybody say so?
And beside he wrote-in Mickey Mouse or Jim Douglas (I forget which) for president. And Phil is a nice guy,Jim Douglas says so!
And why judge him by the friends he keeps ? He’s his own man, all his friends say so!
And so what if he accepts millions of RGA/Koch money from climate change deniers for his campaign. He’s his own man, the RGA ads say so!
And so what if his fellow GOP governors are far right whackos? After all he’s his own man and Phil Scott will say so!
First thing, just as soon as the governor-elect flies back to Vermont from the RGA Conference in Florida.