In a sharply worded press release, California's Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) said the money for the donation made by Americans for Responsible Leadership came from Americans for Job Security, the conservative organization, and had been funneled through The Center to Protect Patient Rights, a non-profit helmed by Sean Noble, a former congressional aide who has been tied to the movement of millions of dollars between political non-profits. The FPPC also said that in disclosing the donors, the Arizona group Americans for Responsible Leadership admitted to "campaign money laundering."Rather than facing any kind of penalty, Kochtopus bag man Kirk Adams just got an important new job.
Scrooge McDucey has named Adams, the Americans for Responsible Leadership president, former Speaker of the Arizona House, and now admitted money launderer, (see Adams' letter below) to be the first chief of staff in the administration set to take over the 9th Floor of the Arizona Capitol executive tower in January.
By the way, even though the election is over, McDucey is still plowing forward, full steam ahead, with campaign propaganda. On his transition team website, immediately under the banner with his name, another prominent banner -- Opportunity for All -- bombards viewers, a message that brazenly contradicts his policy agenda.
Along with the California FPPC release, TPM published letters signed by Adams and fellow Kochtopus operative Sean Noble.
Today, ProgressNow Arizona executive director Robbie Sherwood released the following statement about McDucey's new hire:
Arizona Gripped by the Kochtopus as New Gov. Ducey Installs Koch Dark Money Bag Man as Chief of Staff
PHOENIX – Arizona Governor-elect Doug Ducey is repaying his out-of-state dark-money backers today by hiring controversial Koch Brothers bag man Kirk Adams as his new chief of staff. Former House Speaker Adams, who helped orchestrate a campaign-style war on Arizona’s emerging rooftop solar energy industry on behalf of mega-utility Arizona Public Service, has been a top Koch operative since his unsuccessful run for Congress in 2012.
Adams and his frequent associate Sean Noble operate a series of Koch-backed political non-profits that underwrote Ducey’s successful run for governor, kneecapping his Republican primary opponents with vicious attacks and helping build a more than 2-1 spending advantage over Democratic challenger Fred DuVal. The out-of-state money bombs began falling on Ducey’s political foes shortly after he pledged his fealty and admiration to the Koch’s at secret meeting in California that was caught on tape.
Adams and Noble also made national news in 2012 when they were accused of “laundering” political money and slapped with a record $1 million fine by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to disclose campaign contributions. Their legal troubles opened the first real window into the labyrinthine world of the ‘Kochtapus’ political money machine. At that same time, Adams and Noble were financing a campaign led by Ducey to defeat an extension of a voter-approved 1-cent sales tax for public education, and waging their then-secret war on solar energy in the sunniest state in the Union. For video of Adams trying, but failing, to defend his actions on behalf of APS, click here.
This move is no-doubt a big win for the Kansas billionaire libertarian industrialists, who have spent hundreds of millions of dollars financing the Tea Party and buying political influence in numerous states to reduce regulations on pollution, privatize education and degrade workplace rights. For Arizonans who value good public schools, clean air and water, workplace safety and high-wage jobs, installing the Koch Brothers on the 9th Floor is not such good news.
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