Billionaire Republican donor and philanthropist David Koch is dead at age 79 after a years-long battle against prostate cancer. Though he personally opposed the GOP stances against gay rights, same-sex marriage, abortion and cannabis legalization, he also helped fund anti-LGBTQ politicians, hate groups and legislation to the tune of millions. Let’s take a quick look at his LGBTQ legacy.
Once ranked as the 11th richest person in the world with an estimated worth of $50.5 billion, Koch is perhaps best known for working with Koch industries, a multinational corporation that donated millions to Republican political candidates.
Related: Heir to Koch fortune creates ugliest clothing line ever; Internet can’t look away
Although Koch ostensibly supported politicians with libertarian free-market principles against government spending on social welfare programs, he also gave millions to Republican politicians — like Rick Santorum, Mitch McConnell, Eric Cantor, John Boehner, George Allen, Orrin Hatch, Jim DeMint and Michelle Bachmann — and to conservative think-tanks who oppose expanding government-offered healthcare, deny climate change and support anti-LGBTQ policies; this includes anti-LGBTQ groups like Alliance Defending Freedom and Concerned Women for America.
He also gave millions to The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a nonprofit that drafts and shares model state-level legislation largely supporting business and conservative social stances, including opposition to LGBTQ rights. ALEC considers same-sex relationships as “probably some of the most destructive and degrading institutions in America today” and claims that homosexuality causes psychological harm and leads to pedophilia.
ALEC also drafted legislation supporting charter schools for the rich, stand-your-ground laws that allow gun owners to kill people of color with impunity, voter ID laws that suppress progressive turnout, laws criminalizing environmental activism, and efforts to increase private prison populations.
Koch wasn’t the devil himself. He also donated millions to cancer research, New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, its Metropolitan Museum of Art and several national museums. But his legacy of funding anti-LGBTQ and anti-progressive policies should be remembered, no matter his personal political beliefs.
youarederanged
Rest in Hell. Oh, I meant Peace.
OwenPowell1381
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LukeHill1389
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Rex Huskey
may he rest in cool peace… NOT!
dhmonarch89
See- no matter how much money you spend trying to rig the system in your favor, you die and can’t take it with you.
iron
who cares out this very rich asshole dying. regardless of his smarts and outlook. good fucking riddance just don’t donate your stuff way tainted. fuck him and his ilk
niles
Now the death watch is on for a whole lineup of a-holes. Who will grace us with their disappearance next?
James
ROT IN HELL.
mlo88
Amen!
rustyiam
Not defending his stand on us but saying rot in hell and expressing joy in someone’s death is kind of sick! And worse wishing it on other “ a holes” is inhuman!
Cam
Except you are defending his stand on LGBTQ people. Because all you’ve ever done in here is defend Republican bigots and attack any of us that point out bigotry or racism.
No surprise then that you would clutch your pearls over the fact that the people this guy has spent hundreds of millions of dollars attacking aren’t sad he’s dead.
Please get at least as high as Sophomore level trolling before coming back here to post.
Rex Huskey
yo crusty, I’ve defended you and often see and agree with many of your points and think the way these vapid piss-squatter sissies go after you is a bit much…. but this koch biped and his ilk are truly evil on earth. wake the phuck up!!
wancell
I am with you on this.
The vitriol and venom is not necessary. The day when George Soras passes (the left wing equivalent to Koch which I disagree with but wish no ill will) and if right wingers celebrate it like people on here are doing, you can bet they will be called ghoulish for cheering the fact someone has died.
ShiningSex
BYE
Paco
Finally some good news.
hayesj
This man did his best to help destroy this country. Hell’s a little hotter today. Hope you suffered greatly before you died. Now burn, baby burn.
blackhook
Good riddance to bad trash!
ricdardc1
” You Piece of TIHS, I Hope you Find your BURNING BUSH, you Deserve !”
gjg64
I haven’t felt this good since Scalia bit it.
Goforit
Ding dong the bitch is dead……
Jon in Canada
As Ron Perlman so perfectly tweeted:
Wishing the Koch brothers a speedy reunion.
As do I Ron, as do I.
rbernard
All that inexplicable anti-government, anti-democratic stuff Republicans were doing over the last 20 years that seem to be against the will of the people, Charles and David Koch most likely had their grubby fingerprints on it. The Koch brothers felt they had no responsibility to pay more in taxes, even though their business relied on leveraging a disproportionate share of government funded resources in order to build their great fortunes.
Regardless how you frame it, world is a better place today …
Owen Blacker
And we thought 2019 only had bad news for us.
???
nitejonboy
Burn in hell, pig.
CurtisIsTheOne
OK, right wingers and bigots and those opposed to LGBTQ freedom: Let THIS be a lesson to you. God smites those who oppose tolerance and equality! Wait, what’s that you say? God “takes” ALL ? Never mind! (props to Gilda Radner).
NeoAurelianensis
He donated to cancer research because he had cancer. His other “philanthropic” efforts were almost always for a “David Koch …” ego-boosting result. The Koch brothers have done more damage to the USA that Trump.
MountainCowboyMan
BREAKING NEWS: It Is Official, UnAmerican, NRA, Racist, Bigot, Anti-LGBTQ, Card Carrying, White Nationalist David Hamilton Koch Is DEAD! There Is No Medical Options, Possibility, Reality, Anal Stocks Going Up, Reincarnation Chance He Will Ever Be Returning Alive. It Is Official The UnAmerican Excuse For A Human Being Is DEAD. As Door Nails Of Hatred Past, David Hamilton Koch Is A Documented & Certified DEAD Sociopath, Anti-Civil Rights, Anti-Equality Rights, Anti-LGBTQ of Hatred, Violence, Round-Up Juice From Hell, Where He Will Be Now Residing For Eternity In Earth For Ever & Never Again Will Be Above Ground. Will Keep You Updated On The Up & Coming Breaking News Upon The Death Of Charles de Ganahl Koch & All Other Koch Relations As They Also Become Permanently DEAD!