Koch Industries campaign cash criticized
The Atlanta Federation of Teachers, labor unions and others are criticizing a $6,500 contribution from Koch Industries to a committee that’s supporting school board and city council candidates.
Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, said Wednesday after a news conference outside the Koch Industries-owned Georgia-Pacific headquarters that Mayor Kasim Reed and his committee, Continue Atlanta’s Progress, should return the money.
He also called on the candidates receiving support from the committee to renounce Koch Industries, led by Charles and David Koch.
Fort said the Koch brothers are a force supporting charter schools, school vouchers and privatization of education.
Continue Atlanta’s Progress has raised over $200,000 since Oct. 10, according to the most recent filing with the state finance commission. Reed has given $75,000, making him the group’s largest donor.
The committee’s money is going to the campaigns of school board candidates Reuben McDaniel, Steve Lee, Brenda Muhammad, Jason Estevez, Eshe Collins, Courtney English, Matt Westmoreland and Byron Amos.
For Atlanta City Council, the committee is backing Aaron Watson, Natalyn Archibong, Carla Smith, Cleta Winslow and Ricardo Mosby.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
