Over the weekend, the Boston Globe ran an op-ed falsely stating that David Koch, co-owner and an executive vice president of Koch Industries, is behind a lot of the Obamacare protests.
The author of the Globe's hatchet job, Lee Fang, is on a crusade against David Koch, writing hit pieces going after Koch time, after time, after time. As part America's radical left funded by wealthy left-wing political activists like George Soros, Fang simply cannot accept that the Obamacare protestors constitute a true grassroots movement of regular people upset by President Obama and his Democrats attempt to pass a government takeover of health care.
There is a big problem with the Globe's shot at Koch, which is framed as an attack on Koch's art donations. The Globe failed to fact check this hit piece. There is no mention that Koch has denied giving money to support the Obamacare protests:
Not every issue focused on by AFP or AFP Foundation receives support from Koch Industries or a Koch foundation. For example, neither Koch companies, the Koch foundations, Charles Koch or David Koch have contributed funds to AFP's and AFP Foundation's efforts on the health care issue, which have included town-hall meetings and citizen rallies around the country [emphasis added].
Americans for Prosperity and the Americans for Prosperity Foundation are legally separate organizations with two separate governing boards. AFP Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) organization, focuses on citizen education about economic policy and the roles outlined for the federal government in the U.S. Constitution. AFP, a 501(c)(4) entity, focuses on citizen advocacy. Koch foundations provide no funding to AFP.
It is unconscionable that the Globe's attack on Koch did not include the denial. The author was aware Koch denies supporting the Obamacare protests. Koch's denial was included and discussed in an update to Fang's hit piece published at Think Progress on September 9, 2009. Nevertheless, the denial was unprofessionally ignored in the Globe's hatchet job. The omission of the denial violates the Globe's ethics policy, which includes this duty to paper's audience:
16. As journalists we treat our readers as fairly and openly as possible. We tell our audience the complete, unvarnished truth as best we can learn it. We correct our errors explicitly as soon as we become aware of them....
Not even the Globe, nor Fang, can consider the withholding the Koch denial to be telling their audience the "complete, unvarnished truth."
Sadly, we have come to expect the left to smear the good name and works of people they disagree with. Too bad they no longer seem able to engage in civil debate. Still, is it really too much to expect a little fact checking from the Boston Globe.
Comments
There are a lot of accusations of astroturfing at TEA parties, etc., but so far no proof. The answer is simple -- it's not there -- there is no astroturf.
There has been proof in the form of corporate right-wing sponsors being interviewed, saying they were funding these allegedly grass-roots movements, and playing fast and loose with what "grass-roots" means. The money trail is not hard to find at all.
But if you're dead set against believing that insurance agencies shouldn't be allowed to bankrupt Americans, shouldn't be allowed to deny necessary care that has been paid for, you're not going to see anything as proof.
Hard-working people are finding themselves broke...if they're lucky. Others just die. If that's what you want to defend, sleep as well as you can, and happy holidays.
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