Power

Koch Brothers, Brownback Bankroll Kansas Anti-Choice PAC

The three contributions account for $33,000 of the $71,162 received by the Kansans for Life PAC during the most recent reporting period.

The billionaire brothers behind Koch Industries have a lengthy history of funneling money to conservative and anti-choice candidates in Kansas. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The most influential Kansas anti-choice organization’s political operation has received significant donations from the state Republican Party, the GOP governor’s personal political action committee (PAC), and a PAC associated with conservative billionaires Fred and David Koch.

The three contributions account for $33,000 of the $71,162 received by the Kansans for Life PAC, the political arm of Kansans for Life, during the most recent reporting period, according to campaign finance reports filed October 31.

The bulk of the funds have gone toward a direct-mail campaign in support of anti-choice candidates endorsed by Kansans for Life.

Mary Kay Culp, executive director of Kansans for Life, told the Topeka Capital-Journal that the donations helped support the organization’s political outreach. “You need money to get your message out,” Culp said.

Kansans for Life is one of the state affiliates of the National Right to Life Committee, an anti-choice organization that campaigns for anti-choice lawmakers.

Road Map PAC, which was formed by staunchly anti-choice Gov. Sam Brownback (R), donated $25,000 to Kansans for Life PAC on July 25. The Kansas Republican Party donated $5,000 on October 17.

CAVPAC contributed $3,000 to Kansas for Life PAC on July 27.

CAVPAC was formed in 2012, with U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) listed as the PAC’s sponsor, according to filings with the Federal Elections Commission. Since its founding, CAVPAC has contributed exclusively to Republican campaigns, the most generous of which was a $10,000 contribution in 2014 to Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR).

Koch Industries has contributed $20,000 to CAVPAC since 2012. No other person or organization has contributed more over that period. The billionaire brothers behind Koch Industries have a lengthy history of funneling money to conservative and anti-choice candidates in Kansas.