Americans For Prosperity Comes For Vermont Voters — Part II - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica discusses the influence of Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a political advocacy group founded by Charles and David Koch, on Vermont voters and broader American politics. The Koch brothers amassed significant wealth through Koch Industries, an oil refinery and pipeline conglomerate rooted in their father Fred Koch’s early petroleum refining innovations, which controversially supported foreign military powers. Fred Koch’s extremist anti-government views shaped the ideological foundation for his sons, who later became key figures in the Tea Party movement advocating for deregulation, lower taxes, and increased state power. Despite opposing federal regulations, the Koch empire benefited from government policies that enabled their control over highly polluting oil sources like the Alberta tar sands. The article highlights Charles Koch’s role in ushering in the era of "dark money" in politics by influencing changes to IRS codes that allowed groups like AFP to operate with secrecy, significantly amplifying special interest power. Koch’s influence extends to conservative legal circles, including the Federalist Society, which has shaped