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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Koch Brothers And Republican Party Have Just Joined Forces To Track Voters
The Koch Brothers And Republican Party Have Just Joined Forces To Track Votersby Josh Israel at Think Progress
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/08/28/3476810/koch-brothers-rnc-data/
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A secretive data and technology company linked to conservative oil billionaires Charles and David Koch has reached an agreement to share its information with the voter file and data management company that holds an exclusive agreement with the Republican National Committee. This will allow the Republican Party full access to voter data collected by the Kochs Freedom Partners entities and clients and entrenches the Kochs network even deeper into the GOP.
Because political parties are not allowed to accept corporate contributions, it would be illegal for the Kochs to simply give their massive databases to the Republican National Committee directly. But the Republican National Committee has outsourced its database management to
a company called GOP Data Trust. And that company joined forces Thursday with i360 (aka Themis), a firm reportedly backed by the Koch Brothers Freedom Partners and serving as repository for the data amassed by the Kochs political empire.
In a press release, the two companies claimed that the historic data sharing partnership will allow Republican and Conservative campaign resources to be spent more efficiently than ever before. They noted that voter contact information gathered by clients of either The Data Trust or i360? will be now used by both to improve the data shared with all clients, meaning conservative groups and campaigns will have more information about voters at their disposal for their own activities than ever before.
Paul S. Ryan, senior counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, told ThinkProgress that as long as the Republican National Committee pays fair-market value to its data vendor, it does not matter who that vendor coordinates with. Campaign finance laws only regulate the committees themselves, not other freestanding entities, he explained.
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Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)applegrove
(118,683 posts)Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)You have no idea how much data there is about you out just floating on the internet, do you?
applegrove
(118,683 posts)be available to private corporations. As to information on the internet on habits and interests? Yes. That is already out there in the hands of private profit driven entities.
Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)Private contractors with the NSA.
But we all know the privately owned military contractors with lobbyists and super pac donations are above reproach, Huh?
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)applegrove
(118,683 posts)you said that the NSA would be giving away all their intel
oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)But of course, if you want to spend big bucks, made it a big secret.
nxylas
(6,440 posts)The IRS refusing to take groups with names like Tea Party Patriots Against Obama at their word when they claim to be non-political social welfare groups.
Kablooie
(18,634 posts)The GOP and individual politicians and businessmen are increasingly beholden to the Kochs. They are growing in power and influence and I wouldn't be surprised if they expect to become the emperors of America soon by calling all the shots from behind the screen of American politics.
The next Republican president may have to kiss their feet and slavishly execute any orders they give.