Received this e-mail today from the Arkansas Democratic Party regarding Tea Party Rep. Tom Cotton (R. AR):
The Democratic Party of Arkansas released a new TV ad titled “Resort.” The ad shows how Congressman Cotton is putting his billionaire special interest backers ahead of what’s best for Arkansas. The ad is running statewide and is a significant six figure buy.
Congressman Cotton jetted off to California to attend a secretive strategy session with the Koch Brothers and other billionaires funding his campaign instead of attending the iconic Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival. Demonstrating his blind ambition for higher office, Congressman Cotton skipped one of the largest festivals in his Congressional District to be with his out of state billionaire backers.
Congressman Cotton has consistently put the reckless agenda of his out of state special interest backers ahead of what’s right for Arkansas. Congressman Cotton was the only Arkansan in Congress to vote against the farm bill, five times against disaster relief and for more tax breaks for billionaires.
“Congressman Cotton has recklessly voted against Arkansans and for his billionaire special interest backers time and again,” said Democratic Party of Arkansas Chair Vincent Insalaco. “Congressman Cotton voted against the Farm Bill and voted against disaster relief five times. He even supported more tax breaks for billionaires. Congressman Cotton’s irresponsible votes put billionaires before Arkansas every time.”
Background:
Cotton Attended Secret Koch Brothers Summer Conference At St. Regis Monarch Bay Resort. According to the Nation, “Charles and David Koch wrapped up their annual summer seminar on June 16 in Dana Point, California, at the St. Regis Monarch Bay resort—a fitting location for two men whose combined net worth is more than $100 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The highly secretive mega-donor conference, called ‘American Courage: Our Commitment to a Free Society,’ featured a who's who of Republican political elites. According to conference documents obtained through a source who was in attendance, Representatives Tom Cotton (AR), Cory Gardner (CO) and Jim Jordan (OH) were present, as were Senators Mitch McConnell (KY) and Marco Rubio (FL). Cotton, Gardner and McConnell are all running for the Senate this year; Jordan for re-election in the House.” [Nation, 6/17/14]
HEADLINE: Inside The Koch Brothers’ Secret Billionaire Summit. [Nation, 6/17/14]
Cotton Was Scheduled To Speak With Donors After A Round Of Golf At The Koch Brothers Summer Conference At St. Regis Monarch Bay Resort. According to an agenda from the Koch Brothers annual summer conference, Cotton participated in a lunch discussion following a round of golf on Saturday June 14th, 2014. [Agenda, Koch Brother Annual Summer Conference, 6/10/14]
Koch Brothers Secretly Rented Out The Entire St. Regis Resort For More Than $870,000. According to the Nation, “All of this took place in the idyllic backdrop of Monarch Bay and the luxurious St. Regis resort, which boasts rooms ranging from $495 a night to unlisted amounts for its very best accommodations. Room rates offered to the conference ranged from $199 for staff to $2,000 for the Presidential Suites. Freedom Partners, the Kochs' financing arm, coordinated the event with the cover name "T & R Annual Sales Conference" and bought out the hotel from noon on Saturday to noon on Tuesday. According to a source in attendance, Freedom Partners spent more than $870,000, which included large fees to shut down public access to the golf course, the Michael Mina restaurant Stonehill Tavern and Motif Restaurant. Attendees were responsible for their own room charges.” [Nation, 6/17/14]
Koch Brothers Conference Went To Great Lengths To Protect Secrecy Of The Meetings. According to the Nation, “Security was tight from noon on Saturday throughout the remainder of the conference, with checkpoints at every entrance to the resort. At the front gate, security guards and multiple Koch employees brandishing iPads greeted incoming cars. Even more Koch employees, acting as escorts, met guests at the front door. Guests were asked to abide by a no-cell phone policy, and security was in place to enforce that policy at events.” [Nation, 6/17/14]
Tom Cotton’s Office “Did Not Respond To Requests For Comment” About Attendance At Koch Brothers’ Conference. According to the Nation, “The offices of Representatives Tom Cotton, Cory Gardner and Jim Jordan; Senators Mitch McConnell and Marco Rubio; and United Negro College Fund's Michael Lomax did not respond to requests for comment.” [Nation, 6/17/14]
The Nation: The Koch Retreat Was Attended By A Large Number Of Billionaires. The Nation reported, “According to another source who also attended the conference, 300 individuals—worth at least a billion each—were present. This source said that the explicit goal was to raise $500 million to take the Senate in the 2014 midterms…” [Nation, 6/17/14]
Cotton Spokesman “Wouldn’t Discuss Or Confirm Cotton’s Participation” At The Koch Event Held At The St. Regis In California. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “A report published Tuesday in the liberal political magazine The Nation identified Cotton as one of a handful of candidates who attended a gathering held by conservative political donors Charles and David Koch last weekend. The secretive and security-rich event, which booked the entire St. Regis Monarch Bay resort in Dana, Calif., featured a who's who of billionaire political donors, Political Action Committee representatives and a handful of rising star candidates in the Republican Party for what was billed as a strategy session on retaking the Senate, the magazine said. Ray wouldn't discuss or confirm Cotton's participation, saying the campaign does not comment on the congressman's travel schedule when events are not open to the public or the press.” [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 6/22/14]
AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY HAS SPENT NEARLY $2 MILLION SUPPORTING TOM COTTON’s Senate Campaign
February 2014. Americans For Prosperity Spent $606,000 On Attack Ads Against Pryor. [Press Release, AFP, 2/5/14]
March 2014: Americans for Prosperity Spent $700,000 On Attack Ads Against Pryor. [Press Release, AFP, 3/13/14]
April 2014: Americans For Prosperity Spent $540,000 On Ads Attacking Pryor. [Press
Release, AFP, 4/1/14]
May 2014: Americans For Prosperity Launched Television Ad Supporting Cotton. [Press Release, AFP, 5/15/14]
July 2014: Americans For Prosperity Launched Television Attacking Pryor. [Press Release, AFP, 7/9/14]
Columnist: “Cotton Was Reported To Have Attended A Secret Retreat Put On By The Right-Wing Billionaire Koch Brothers.” John Brummett wrote in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “National coverage from the liberal publication called The Nation, citing leaked information, reported that, instead, Cotton spent the weekend at a luxury California getaway in Dana Point called the St. Regis Monarch Bay Resort. Cotton was reported to have attended a secret retreat put on by the right-wing billionaire Koch brothers, David and Charles, and attended by big donors. There was said to have been golf, angus filet mignon and panel discussions in which Republican stars talked with big donors about conservative principles.” [Brummett, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 6/22/14]
2013: Tom Cotton Had 100% Score From Americans For Prosperity. [Scorecard, AFP, 2013]
2014: Cotton Was the Only Member Of the Arkansas Delegation To Vote Against The Farm Bill. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “The $100 billion-a-year farm bill passed the House 251 to 166 Wednesday after months of discussions and uncertainty. U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton was the only member of Arkansas’ all-Republican House delegation to vote against the legislation. U.S. Reps. Rick Crawford, Tim Griffin and Steve Womack, who voted for the measure, each said the bill is not perfect but it provides stability to the country’s farmers.” [Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 1/30/14; H.R. 2642, Vote 31, 1/29/14]
2014: Americans For Prosperity Asked Members To Vote Against The Farm Bill. [Key Vote Alert, AFP, 1/29/14]
2013: Cotton Was The Only Member Of The Arkansas Delegation To Vote Against The Farm Bill. In June 2013, Tom Cotton was the only member of the Arkansas Delegation to vote against the five-year farm bill. The Associated Press reported the bill was “a five-year, half-trillion-dollar farm bill Thursday that would have cut $2 billion annually from food stamps and let states impose broad new work requirements on those who receive them.” According to the Washington Post, “The agriculture sector stands to suffer the most from the bill’s failure. Without action later this year, American farmers will fall back to a 1949 law governing the industry, which could lead to steep price increases on items such as milk. The Senate passed its version of a longer term farm bill earlier this month on a bipartisan vote of 66 to 27. The measure calls for spending $24 billion less than current law by ending programs such as a $5 billion direct cash subsidy program for absentee farmers. The House plan would have resulted in nearly $40 billion in savings, in large part by slashing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, widely known as food stamps.” Senators Pryor and Boozman, and Representatives Crawford, Womack, and Griffin voted for the bill. [AP, 6/21/13; Washington Post, 6/21/13; HR 3102, House Vote 286, 6/20/13; S. 954, Senate Vote 145, 6/10/13]
2013: Americans For Prosperity Asked Members To Vote Against The Farm Bill. [Key Vote Alert, AFP, 6/13/13]
IN OFFICE JUST A YEAR, COTTON WAS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE ARKANSA DELEGATION TO VOTE 5 TIMES AGAINST DISASTER AID
Vote #1: Cotton Opposed A $9.7 Billion FEMA-Only Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill — The Only Member of the Arkansas Delegation To Do So. The Pine Bluff Commercial reported: “Rep. Tom Cotton , R-Dardanelle, voted Friday against legislation that would ensure the federal government has the money to pay flood insurance claims resulting from Hurricane Sandy. Cotton was one of 67 House Republicans to oppose the measure allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to borrow $9.7 billion to cover damage claims from the storm that ravaged New York, New Jersey and Connecticut two months ago. Reps. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, Tim Griffin, R-Little Rock, and Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, voted in favor of the bill. The Senate swiftly approved it by voice vote – with no objections.” [Pine Bluff Commercial, 1/4/13; H.R. 41, Vote 7, 1/4/13]
Vote #2: Cotton Voted Against A $17 Billion Bill To Meet Immediate Needs of Communities Affected By Hurricane Sandy, Including Funding The Disaster Relief Fund—The Only Member of the Arkansas Delegation To Do So. In 2013, Cotton voted against the substitute amendment that would provide $17 billion to address immediate needs relating to damage sustained from Superstorm Sandy, including $5.4 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund, $5.4 billion to aid public transportation systems in New York and New Jersey, $3.9 billion for Department of Housing and Urban Development community development programs, $1.4 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, $287 million for repairs to national parks, lands and facilities, $236 million for Veterans Affairs medical activities and construction projects, $144 million for Coast Guard acquisition and construction, $100 million for the Department of Health and Human Services' Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund and $100 million for Small Business Administration disaster loans. The amendment was adopted by a vote of 327-91. [CQ; HR 152, Vote #15, 1/15/13]
Vote #3: Cotton Voted Against Adding $33.7 Billion to Hurricane Sandy Disaster Supplemental for Long-Term Recovery Efforts And Funded The Disaster Relief Fund. In 2013, Cotton voted against an amendment that would add $33.7 billion for long-term recovery and mitigation spending to address damage from Superstorm Sandy. The total includes $12.2 billion for Department of Housing and Urban Development community development activities; $6.1 billion for Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund; $5.5 billion for transit support; $4 billion for Army Corps of Engineers projects; $700 million for social services programs; and $474 million for repairs to national parks, wildlife refuges and facilities. It also includes an additional $2 billion to repair federal-aid highways. The amendment was adopted by a vote of 228-192. [CQ; HR 152, Vote #22, 1/15/13]
Americans For Prosperity Urged Members Of Congress To Vote Against $33 Billion Disaster Relief Package. [Key Vote Alert, AFP, 1/14/13]
Vote #4: Cotton Voted Against $50 Billion Disaster Supplemental Providing Emergency Aid to Communities Hit By Hurricane Sandy And Funded FEMA Disaster Relief Fund. In 2013, Cotton voted against passage of the bill that would provide about $50.5 billion for communities hit by Superstorm Sandy. Nearly all funding would be designated as emergency spending exempt from discretionary caps, except for $5.4 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund. As amended, the bill would include about $11.5 billion for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund, $10.9 billion for transit systems, $16 billion for Department of Housing and Urban Development community development programs, $5.4 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, $708 million for repairs to national parks, wildlife refuges and facilities, $234 million for Veterans Affairs medical activities and construction projects, $274 million for Coast Guard projects and $520 million for Small Business Administration disaster loans. The bill passed by a vote of 241-180. [CQ; HR 152, Vote #23, 1/15/13]
Americans For Prosperity Opposed Sandy Relief Package Unless It Was Fully Offset. According to a key vote alert from Americans for Prosperity, “On behalf of more than two million Americans for Prosperity activists in all 50 states, I urge you to oppose the Hurricane Sandy disaster-aid supplemental, H.R. 152. The bill has serious policy and procedural problems. Unless the legislation is fully offset with other spending reductions, I urge you to vote NO on the Hurricane Sandy disaster-aid supplemental, H.R. 152. Americans for Prosperity will include this vote in our congressional scorecard.” [Key Vote Alert, AFP, 1/28/13]
Vote #5: Cotton Voted Against The FY 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Bill That Funded Disaster Relief Fund. In January 2014, Cotton voted against Rogers, R-Ky., motion to concur in the Senate amendments to the bill with a House amendment that would provide about $1.1 trillion in discretionary appropriations in fiscal 2014 for federal departments and agencies covered by the 12 unfinished fiscal 2014 spending bills. Included in that total is: $20.9 billion for Agriculture, $51.6 billion for Commerce-Justice-Science, $572 billion for Defense, including $85.2 billion for overseas contingency operations associated with the war in Afghanistan and other counterterrorism operations, $34.1 billion for Energy-Water, $21.9 billion for Financial Services, $39.3 billion for Homeland Security, $30.1 billion for Interior-Environment, $156.8 billion for Labor-HHS-Education, $4.3 billion for the Legislative Branch, $73.3 billion for Military Construction-VA, $49 billion for State-Foreign Affairs, and $50.9 billion for Transportation-HUD. [CQ Floor Votes, H.R. 3547, Vote 21, 1/15/14]
FY14 Omnibus Appropriation Allocated $5.6 Billion To FEMA Disaster Relief Fund. According to FEMA, Congress appropriated $5.6 billion to the disaster relief fund for fiscal year 2014. [Disaster Relief Fund: Monthly Report, FEMA, 2/28/14]
Americans For Prosperity Urged Members Of Congress To Vote Against FY 14 Omnibus Appropriations. [Key Vote Alert, AFP, 1/15/14]
HEADLINE—Cook: Tom Cotton Skipped Iconic District Event To Hang With Koch Brothers [Cook, Talk Business, 6/19/14]
Cotton Was The Only Member From Arkansas To Vote For The Republican Study Committee Budget. In 2014, Cotton voted for the Woodall, R-Ga., substitute amendment that would provide for $2.744 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2015, not including off-budget accounts. The plan would call for repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul. It would propose converting several social programs including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program into block grants to be funded at fiscal 2014 levels. The plan would call for eliminating the mandatory increase in funding for the Pell Grant program, the subsidized interest payments on federal undergraduate student loans and the social services block grant. It would propose requiring federal employees to contribute more to both their pensions and health benefits and reducing the federal workforce through attrition. The substitute would propose reducing premium subsidies for crop insurance from 60 percent to 40 percent. It also would call for a revenue neutral tax code overhaul that would create two income tax rates, with a top rate of 25 percent. It also would call for repeal of the inheritance tax, propose setting the dividend tax rate at a maximum of 15 percent and provide for equal tax treatment for individual and employer health care expenditures. [H.CON.RES.96; CQ; Vote #175, 4/10/14]
CRFB: Republican Study Committee Budget Would Cut The Top Tax Bracket From 39.6% To 25% And Lower Capital Gains Tax. According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, “The RSC budget directs the Ways and Means Committee to come up with a tax reform plan that reduces the top individual and corporate rates to 25 percent, reduces capital gains and dividends tax rates to 15 percent, repeals the estate tax, and replaces the Earned Income Tax Credit with a payroll tax exemption, among other changes. Its tax reform effort would target revenue-neutrality on a dynamic basis, which is concerning given the uncertainty of dynamically-estimated revenue.” [CRFB, 4/9/14]
Republican Study Committee Budget “Cuts More Massively Than The Ryan Budget But With Similar Estimates For Revenues.” “The Republican Study Committee Back to Basics Budget: This budget, produced by some of the most right-wing members of the House, cuts more massively than the Ryan budget, but with similar estimates for revenues.” [Coalition on Human Needs, 4/14/14]
2014: Cotton Voted To Cut Taxes By Over $200,000 For Taxpayers Who Earn Over $1 Million Per Year. Cotton voted for the FY15 Ryan Budget. According to the Committee for Tax Justice, “For taxpayers with income exceeding $1 million, the benefit of Ryan’s tax rate reductions and other proposed tax cuts would far exceed the loss of any tax expenditures. In fact, under Ryan’s plan taxpayers with income exceeding $1 million in 2015 would receive an average net tax decrease of over $200,000 that year even if they had to give up all of their tax expenditures. These taxpayers would see an even larger net tax decrease if Congress failed to limit or eliminate enough tax expenditures to offset the costs of the proposed tax cuts.” [CTJ, 4/2/14; The Hill ,4/10/14; H. Con. Res. 96, Vote #175, 4/10/14]
2013: Cotton Voted To Cut Taxes For Millionaires By Over $240,000 Per Year. Cotton voted for the FY14 Ryan budget. According to the Committee on Budget and Policy Priorities, “If policymakers enacted the same extremely ambitious reductions in tax expenditures for filers with incomes above $200,000 that TPC assumed when it analyzed Romney’s tax plan, filers with incomes of $1 million or more would lose tax breaks totaling about $90,000 on average — still leaving them with an average net tax cut of about $245,000. Households with incomes above $200,000 would get a net cut of about $16,000. [CBPP, 3/17/13; H Con Res 25,Vote #88, 3/21/13]
Charles Koch, David Koch, And Other Koch Family Members Have Donated Over $30,000 To Cotton’s Campaign. According to the Federal Elections Commission, Charles Koch, David Koch, Anna Koch, Chase Koch, Elizabeth Koch, and Julia Koch donated a combined $31,200 to Cotton’s campaign, the maximum allowed. [FEC.gov, 5/8/14]
Charles Koch And David Koch Are The 6th Richest People In The World. According to Forbes, Charles and David Koch are worth $41.7 billion, each. They are both ranked the 6th richest people in the world. [Forbes, 2014]
It's very clear Cotton is just one of the Koch Brothers loyal foot soldiers Hell bent on screwing over Seniors, students, women, farmers and victims of natural disasters. That's why we can't let him win in November. Click here to donate and get involved with Senator Mark Pryor's (D. AR) re-election bid: