On June 27, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Janus v. AFSCME that public-sector unions cannot collect “fair share” fees from non-members to cover the costs of collective bargaining, overturning the Court’s 1977 precedent in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education. The decision, …
Justice Samuel AlitoJustice Neil GorsuchNational Right to Work FoundationState Policy NetworkBradley Foundation+3 moreeducationlaborsupreme-courtteachers-unionsright-to-work+2 more
By early 2017, 28 U.S. states have right-to-work laws, with eight traditionally industrial and union-strong states adopting the legislation since 2010 using American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) model legislation: Indiana and Michigan (2012), Wisconsin (2015), West Virginia (2016), and …
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Koch brothersAmericans for ProsperityU.S. Chamber of CommerceNational Association of Manufacturers+1 morelabor-suppressionalecright-to-workunion-bustingstate-capture+4 more
The West Virginia Legislature overrides Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto of the “Workplace Freedom Act,” making West Virginia the 26th state to enact right-to-work legislation prohibiting mandatory union membership or fees. The override follows the coordinated Koch-backed playbook …
West Virginia LegislatureEarl Ray TomblinAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Koch NetworkState Policy Network+1 morelabor-suppressionright-to-workalecwest-virginiaunion-busting+2 more
Governor Rick Snyder signs sweeping anti-union legislation making Michigan—the birthplace of the United Auto Workers and a union stronghold—the 24th right-to-work state. The Michigan House and Senate ram through bills HB 4003 (public sector) and HB 4054/SB 116 (private sector) during a lame duck …
Rick SnyderAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Mackinac CenterMichigan GOPKoch brothers+3 morelabor-suppressionalecright-to-workmichiganunion-busting+3 more
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels signs right-to-work legislation making Indiana the 23rd state and the first in the Rust Belt manufacturing region to prohibit mandatory union membership or fees as a condition of employment. The bill is sponsored by multiple ALEC members and follows ALEC’s model …
Mitch DanielsAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Indiana Republican PartyNational Right to Work CommitteeKoch brothers+1 morelabor-suppressionright-to-workalecmodel-legislationstate-capture+3 more
Governor Scott Walker signs Wisconsin Act 10, eliminating collective bargaining rights for most public employees and marking one of the most significant defeats for organized labor in modern American history. The legislation, introduced February 14, 2011, ends collective bargaining for everything …
Scott WalkerAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Wisconsin GOPKoch brothersAmericans for Prosperity+1 morelabor-suppressionalecunion-bustingwisconsincollective-bargaining+3 more
Following the 2010 Tea Party midterm elections that gave Republicans control of 26 state legislatures (gaining 675 state legislative seats), the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) holds its States and Nation Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., December 1-3, with the agenda focused on …
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Scott FitzgeraldKoch brothersAmericans for ProsperityRepublican Partylabor-suppressionalecright-to-workunion-bustingstate-capture+3 more
Comprehensive organizational analysis reveals DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund as the central infrastructure for conservative dark money operations, earning designation as ‘Dark Money ATM of The Right.’ Founded in 1999 by Whitney Lynn Ball and Kimberly Dennis (both from Philanthropy …
DonorsTrustDonors Capital FundWhitney Lynn BallKimberly DennisLawson Bader+5 moreorganizational-profiledark-moneydonor-advised-fundanonymity-infrastructurekoch-network+4 more
The 9/12 Taxpayer March on Washington represented a pivotal moment in conservative political organizing, mobilizing an estimated 60,000-75,000 protesters against the Obama administration policies. Meticulously organized by Koch-affiliated groups like FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity, the …
FreedomWorksAmericans for ProsperityDick ArmeyBrendan SteinhauserDavid Koch+5 moreastroturf-organizingcorporate-influencekoch-networkpolitical-mobilizationmass-demonstrations+2 more
After the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (cap-and-trade climate bill) on June 26, 2009, the Koch brothers’ network immediately launched a massive campaign to kill the legislation in the Senate. Americans for Prosperity, whose top …
Koch brothersCharles KochDavid KochAmericans for ProsperityHeritage Foundation+4 moreclimate-denialregulatory-capturelobbyingenvironmentalcorporate-corruption+1 more
The first coordinated nationwide Tax Day Tea Party protests take place across the United States, organized primarily by Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks. These protests, while presented as grassroots citizen uprisings, were strategically orchestrated by well-funded corporate advocacy groups …
Americans for ProsperityFreedomWorksDavid KochCharles KochBrendan Steinhauser+2 moreastroturf-organizingcorporate-influencekoch-networktax-protestspolitical-theater+2 more
Following Rick Santelli’s CNBC rant criticizing Obama’s mortgage bailout, the Koch brothers’ network immediately mobilized to create the Tea Party movement. Within hours, Americans for Prosperity registered TaxDayTeaParty.com, while other conservative organizations quickly …
Rick SantelliDavid KochCharles KochEric OdomAmericans for Prosperity+1 morekoch-networkastroturftea-partypolitical-manipulationamericans-for-prosperity+1 more
Comprehensive organizational analysis reveals Americans for Prosperity (AFP) as the Koch brothers’ primary astroturfing operation, transforming billionaire corporate interests into fake ‘grassroots’ movements. Founded in 2004 when Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation was …
Americans for ProsperityCharles KochDavid KochKoch IndustriesTea Party movement+1 moreorganizational-profileastroturf-organizingkoch-networktea-partyfake-grassroots+4 more
Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE), the Koch brothers-funded lobbying organization founded in 1984, officially splits into two separate entities following internal strategic disagreements. The 501(c)(4) advocacy activities continue under FreedomWorks (formed through a merger with Empower America), …
David KochCharles KochDick ArmeyRon PaulTim Phillips+4 moreregulatory-capturecorporate-influenceastroturf-organizingkoch-networkpolitical-infrastructure+2 more
Comprehensive organizational analysis reveals Cato Institute as mechanism for laundering corporate deregulation agenda as ’libertarian principle.’ Founded in 1977 by Ed Crane, Murray Rothbard, and Charles Koch with $500,000 initial funding from Koch Industries, Cato packages opposition …
Cato InstituteCharles KochEd CraneMurray RothbardPeter Ferrara+3 moreorganizational-profilelibertarian-covercorporate-deregulationkoch-networksocial-security-privatization+3 more