WASHINGTON — The nation’s largest labor federation took aim Thursday at the conservative Koch brothers in ads designed to highlight the billionaire industrialists’ political clout and to gin up liberal voters.
The AFL-CIO campaign features sisters named Joyce and Karen Koch, who aren’t related to brothers Charles and David Koch. The women criticize the Koch brothers and their network of conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity and Generation Opportunity.
“We’re not related to the Koch brothers, those rightwing billionaires,” Joyce Koch says over a peppy soundtrack in the AFL-CIO ads.
The 30-second spot previews themes voters should expect to see in future AFLCIO ads: Heavy political spending from outside billionaires corrupts the system, and those rich titans oppose environmental and fair-wage standards for personal gain.
“For years, the Koch brothers have epitomized how corporations and the super-rich have tried to systematically destroy our democracy,” Richard Trumka, president of the 12 million-member AFLCIO, said. “Today, they’re finally meeting their match.”
A spokesman for Koch Industries did not have an immediate comment about the ads.