Presents: Koch Brothers Exposed: 2014 Edition A film by Robert Greenwald (56 min., USA, 2013) Language: English Publicity: Linsey Pecikonis Brave New Films Tel: 310-204-0448x225 E-mail: [email protected] High-resolution film stills may be downloaded at http://www.bravenewfilms.org/koch_presskit ABOUT THE FILM In early 2011, Robert Greenwald and the Brave New Films (BNF) staff questioned how to make ordinary Americans care about the activities of David and Charles Koch, billionaire brothers who were spending hundreds of millions of dollars to influence federal, state and local elections. The Koch brothers were not yet in the daily conversations of the average American, but that would change with the 2012 release of BNF’s investigative documentary Koch Brothers Exposed. Originally Greenwald envisioned Koch Brothers Exposed as a series of thirteen short investigative videos that shed light on the Koch political dealings and the negative impact their money has on a variety of aspects of American life. These mini-documentaries immediately went viral, and viewers made it clear to BNF that they wanted more comprehensive coverage of the Koch’s activities. The first edition of the hour-long Koch Brothers Exposed highlighted the Koch’s efforts to gut Social Security by spending more than $28 million to popularize the fiction that the federal program was on the brink of collapse. It also addressed the Koch’s attempts at re-segregating schools in North Carolina; their efforts at voter suppression by supporting misleading voter ID laws; and the disastrous impact of their environmental policies on oil and gas projects and on industrial toxic waste. More than 8 million people viewed the film via a limited theatrical release, on social media and through other online distribution, and on cable and satellite, Additionally, the film was screened in hundreds of homes, churches and community centers throughout the nation. The Koch brothers’ hired hands attacked the film through their senior legal counsel and their own spin site at KochFacts.com. They went so far to create an ad of a photoshopped image of Greenwald that popped up anytime someone searched the term “Koch brothers.” Greenwald appeared on MSNBC and other mainstream networks to share the facts on how the Kochs were harming local communities and the nation at large through their support of right-wing initiatives. As 2014 dawned, BNF’s supporters began telling Greenwald that it was time to revisit Koch Brothers Exposed. Koch political influence had gone haywire since the 2010 “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision, which allows corporations to spend unlimited funds on the political candidates of their choice. While Koch spending skyrocketed, the brothers remained silent about the dark money and shadow political groups they set up to help fund their candidates and policy initiatives. The production team at Brave New films began digging through thousands of new articles and research materials on the Kochs, and uncovered a multitude of new concerns about their current activities and influence. Koch Brothers Exposed: 2014 Edition will be released online on May 20, free for a limited time. It begins where the previous film left off, by looking into how the Koch brothers sponsored the Citizens United decision, and how they have used it to broaden their stranglehold on American politics. The new edition features interviews with Senator Harry Reid, who has been increasingly concerned about the Kochs and their excessive influence on Congress. The film also looks at how Koch money has funded efforts to reduce the minimum wage in 25 states. To put this in context, Greenwald shares the story of Erica Johnson, a hard-working single mother from Los Angeles trying to get by on minimum wage - often scraping by with nickels earned from collecting recycling. David and Charles Koch, worth an estimated $82 billion in 2014 believe that the minimum wage 2 creates a culture of dependency. Koch Brothers Exposed: 2014 Edition exposes David and Charles Koch for what they are: poster boys of the 1%, using their billions to buy our government and increase their wealth, at the expense of the poor and powerless. Robert Greenwald believes that our system should not be sold to the highest bidder. He and Brave New Films created this film for activists and communities to use as ammunition in the struggle to take the country back from the wealthiest and the politicians they fund. For more information on the film or to request or host a screening in your community visit www.bravenewfilms.org. DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT “I made this documentary for people to understand the damaging effects the Koch Brothers are causing with the enormous amounts of money they are spending to manipulate the political system for their own benefit. The documentary aims to demonstrate the devastating toll Koch Brothers funded initiatives are having on real people’s lives. I wanted to connect the dots to expose how the Koch Brothers are funneling money to the political causes they support in an effort to change the world to fit their ideology and protect their profits.” TRAILER FOR FILM The Koch brothers earn $1.8 million per hour but want to eliminate the minimum wage because they believe it creates a culture of dependency. However, the brothers intend spend unlimited funds to buy Congress, Supreme Court Justices and possibly the Presidency. View the trailer to see just how much of a stranglehold Charles and David Koch have on our political process: http://bit.ly/TnUmsX. EXCERPTS FROM KOCH BROTHERS EXPOSED: 2014 EDITION The Koch Brothers and Minimum Wage: David and Charles Koch, whose wealth increases by $1.8 million an hour, give their financial and political support to legislation to lower the minimum wage, or to eliminate it altogether. View this clip to see what the lowest paid Americans have to say: http://bit.ly/TnUvMS. Koch Brothers and Citizens United: The Koch brothers were able to influence the Supreme Court and impact the outcome of “Citizens United” decision by funding lobbying on behalf of Citizens United, funding think tanks and other influential non- profits to write amicus briefs to the Supreme Court, and more. View this clip to see just how the brothers used the Citizens United decision to flood politics with their money: http://bit.ly/TnV6ON. HOW TO SEE THE FILM Segments of the film will premiere on May 20, 2014 to an audience at the Capitol Visitors Center where Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Democratic Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi will make remarks. The event will be live streamed on the web beginning at 6:00PM ET/3PM PST here: http://bit.ly/1qNt6T4. After the premiere screening in DC Koch Brothers Exposed: 2014 Edition will premiere online across the Nation. The film is a tool to help engage activists and people concerned about the direction of our democracy. The film will be available to stream online beginning May 20, 2014 at 8PM EST/5PM PST for FREE for a limited time. To view the film online please visit http://www.bravenewfilms.org/koch2014. 3 HOW TO SCREEN THE FILM IN YOUR COMMUNITY If you’re interested in hosting a screening in your own community or want to see if one of your neighbors is hosting a screening – please visit http://www.bravenewfilms.org/koch_screenings. CREDITS Producer & Director Robert Greenwald Executive Producer Jeff Cole Producer Jim Miller Associate Producers Toni A. Bell Hadley Korn AE Toomey Post Production Manager Itai Levin Editor Tony Allen AdditionaL Editors Chris Lorusso Ron Zimmerman Timothy Hayes Katherine Breeman Graphics and TitLes Stephen Krystek First Assistant Editor Katherine Breeman Assistant Editor Daniel Woiwode Camera Operators Rusty Gaidzik Dan McKechnie Jeff Cole Sound Tony Allen Post-Production Intern 4 Maggie Bryan Studio Manager Rusty Gaidzik Brave New Films Executive Director Jim Miller Vice President, Operations & Business Affairs Devin Smith Communications Director Linsey Pecikonis Outreach Director Tim Molina Education Outreach Coordinator Laurie Jones DigitaL Director Jacob Desjarlais Social Media Manager Brian Haack DeveLopment Coordinator Matthew Brinkmoeller DeveLopment Associate Hamida Rehimi Operations Coordinator Dorothy Xiao Accountant Lily Takanashi LegaL Timothy Greene, Documentary FiLm Program Stanford Center for Internet and Society Special Thanks Adelaide Gomer Ellen and Tom Hoberman Arca Foundation Arnold Hiatt Hector Elizondo Harisa S. Ashemu Daniel Berger Bernie Sanders, United States Senator for Vermont 5 Van Jones, President and Co-Founder, RebuiLd the Dream Bill McKibben, Environmentalist, Founder 350.org Jim Hightower, Radio Commentator, CoLumnist, Author, Activist Katrina vanden Heuvel, Editor and PubLisher, The Nation John Nichols, Washington Correspondent, The Nation Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman Professor, Law & Leadership, Harvard Law SchooL Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and Chief Executive Officer, NAACP Gerald E. Connolly, United States Representative for Virginia Adele Stan, Senior DigitaL Editor at the American Prospect Lee Fang, Senior Investigator, United RepubLic Ian Murphy, David Koch Impersonator Judith Browne Dianis, Co-Director, Advancement Project Lisa Graves, Executive Director, Center for Media and Democracy Cheryl Slavant, Ouachita Riverkeeper, Louisiana Environmental Action Network Barry Sulkin, PubLic EmpLoyees for Environmental ResponsibiLity Dylan Molina Lauren Byrd Footage Courtesy of ACLU Pennsylvania/Creative Commons Adhoc Alley/Flickr/Creative Commons Associated Press Civil Rights Digital Library Council