Several left-wing journalists took to Twitter this morning to celebrate the death of billionaire philanthropist and conservative donor David Koch. Koch, along with his older brother Charles, contributed millions of dollars to libertarian and conservative causes like looser regulations and lower taxes. But they were also accused of contributing to climate denial and only supporting political causes that enriched them.
Koch gave hundreds of millions of dollars to charities including medical facilities, along with museums and the New York City ballet.
"David Koch is dead. Forget the fawning obituaries: the man spent his life funding campaigns to dismantle unions, drive down wages, slash benefits and destroy the planet. He was a monument to the grotesque greed of the billionaire class - and why we need to defeat them," Tribune Magazine editor Ronan Burtenshaw tweeted.
David Koch is dead. Forget the fawning obituaries: the man spent his life funding campaigns to dismantle unions, drive down wages, slash benefits and destroy the planet. He was a monument to the grotesque greed of the billionaire class - and why we need to defeat them.
— Ronan Burtenshaw (@ronanburtenshaw) August 23, 2019
Former Media Matters and current ShareBlue writer Oliver Willis sarcastically described Koch as a "great guy and humanitarian," and added, "He's dead? Oh well."
https://twitter.com/owillis/status/1164891345686814722
https://twitter.com/owillis/status/1164880041098055683
Other left-wing writers and journalists blasted Koch as a "villain" and wished "his soul would suffer for eternity."
David Koch has stolen more from this nation than the people who will celebrate his passing. He economically enslaved thousands ; ruined the lives of many more through propaganda and exploitation; elevated the rich; and fought to force millions into poverty. He is the worst.
— Jules Suzdaltsev (@jules_su) August 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/JHWeissmann/status/1164888985354809344
David Koch is in hell with Thatcher and Savile
— Dean Van Nguyen (@deanvannguyen) August 23, 2019
To honor the legacy of David Koch, it seems only appropriate that Koch Family drop his body out of luxury jet into blazing Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Cremation by environmental arson he helped fund through support of political regimes like Bolsonaro government.
— Kevin Gosztola (@kgosztola) August 23, 2019
Seeing lots of headlines about David Koch's death referring to "billionaire", "industrialist" or "libertarian" Koch.
Haven't seen any refer to him as "climate denier" Koch. But that'll be his long-term legacy: funding the effort to downplay an existential threat to all of us.
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) August 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/AlexCKaufman/status/1164881629434826756