Koch Brothers Duck Billionaire’s Debate Invitation: ‘We Are Not Experts On Climate Change’

FILE - In this Aug. 30, 2013 file photo, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Chairman David Koch speaks in Orlando, Fla. Democratic Senate candidates are gambling they can turn voters against two obscure billionaire... FILE - In this Aug. 30, 2013 file photo, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Chairman David Koch speaks in Orlando, Fla. Democratic Senate candidates are gambling they can turn voters against two obscure billionaire brothers who are funding attacks on them and the president’s health care law. Democrats are denouncing Charles and David Koch two of world’s richest people. The pair’s political network is spending millions on TV ads hitting Democrats in North Carolina and several other states. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the Kochs are paying huge sums to try to “buy” elections and advance a self-serving agenda of low taxes and less regulation. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) MORE LESS
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Billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer’s attempt to lure Charles and David Koch out of the shadows appears to have fallen short.

Steyer had challenged the conservative benefactors to a public debate on climate change. But the brothers aren’t interested.

“We are not experts on climate change,” Koch spokeswoman Melissa Cohlmia in told the Wichita Eagle in an e-mail on Friday afternoon. “We do believe there should be free and open debate on the climate issue and it should be based on sound science and intellectual honesty.”

“The debate should take place among the scientific community, examining all points of view and void of politics, personal attacks and partisan agendas,” she added.

Steyer has designs on a $100 million campaign this year targeting climate change skeptics and the Keystone XL pipeline, but he has rejected comparisons to the Kochs.

He took out an advertisement on Friday in the Wichita Eagle, the Koch brothers’ hometown newspaper, challenging them to a debate.

The Koch brothers have always been shrouded in secrecy, their labyrinth of shadowy organizations have spent hundreds of millions of dollars benefiting candidates who deny basic science and push legislation that enables climate change,” the advertisement read. “Charles Koch has already mourned the oppression of ‘free and open debate.’ Here’s his chance to do something about it.”

Steyer first challenged the brothers to a debate during an appearance last month on “Real Time with Bill Maher.”

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Notable Replies

  1. “We are not experts on climate change…” Nor are they interested in listening to anyone who is.

  2. Color me surprised.

    They can dish it out, but they sure can’t take it. Typical chickensh!t conservatives.

  3. Man, you just insulted chickens. And shit!

  4. “We are not experts on climate change,” Koch spokeswoman Melissa Cohlmia in told the Wichita Eagle in an e-mail on Friday afternoon. “We do believe there should be free and open debate on the climate issue and it should be based on sound science and intellectual honesty."

    That is a true statement. They are admitting they aren’t capable of free and open ebate, much less intellectual honesty.

    A majority of the scientific community has already agreed the climate change exists and humans are huge contributors but the two neanderthal money grubbers keep spending their money on ads denying it rather than putting their money to a good cause.

  5. When they have to put their mouths where their money is, the Koch’s are incapable of defending their agenda face to face. Facts vs. delusion is funny that way.

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