Earlier this week, the huge expensive bus that Americans for Prosperity (no link, get your own) uses for their ‘rallies’ pulled into Farmville after a day of touring the 5th Congressional District. About a quarter-mile from the actual office of the congressman, the bus parked in a commuter lot on University property, put on its flashers and cranked up the music.
When the rally began, (Michael) Ben Marchi, Virginia Director for AFP took his wireless microphone and welcomed everyone. He had a guest there with him. He was dressed in a road workers’ day-glo vest and American flag hardhat with an eagle in front. I couldn’t really understand what he was doing there.
Ben Marchi and a construction worker? at the rally in Farmville.
I did hear his mention at the end that he had become an American citizen, which the crowd obviously loved. The man’s speech was that of a non-native English speaker, but I was having trouble understanding it, because I was around the end of the bus at that time.
I saw only one person that I know from Cumberland, an acquaintance who is a veteran, but very susceptible to these kinds of rallies and who is a Republican. Of course, Joe Topham, Congressman Perriello’s representative in the Farmville area, was also there. I had met Joe this summer during the Town Hall meeting in Prince Edward County.
I did see someone else I know, but who is hardly a friend. Tucker Watkins, chair of the 5th Congressional District Republicans and Virgil Goode’s campaign manager in last year’s loss, was there pimping an elderly woman who claimed to be from Canada, and would tell anyone, with Tucker’s urging, how horrible the Canadian health care system is.
It was also a subject of discussion, sometimes heated, with Tucker and I upholding our beliefs in loud tones, loud enough for the police officers present to wander over and listen. I wanted to restrain myself, since I can’t stand the man, and not upset him without a good reason. I couldn’t help myself, and I went over and asked him:
Me: Have you got any of those purple heart band aids tonight?
Republican 5th Congressional District Chair Tucker Watkins, at the 2004 Republican Convention
Tucker: No, this is not a purple heart event, er election.
Other such stimulating conversation includes talking about the display of a photograph at a Republican Congressional rally last Thursday that depicted a pile of scores of bodies, piled up like a trash pile with the caption “National Socialist Health Care”.
Me: Do you think it was proper to display the photo from Dachau last Thursday at the Capitol?
Tucker: Have you ever been to Dachau?
Photo poster held at 'rally' at the US Capitol last Thursday. Photo credit: Lee Fang
Me: No.
Tucker: Well, I have.
Me: But would you agree with the photo that was held up last Thursday at the rally?
Tucker: No, I wouldn’t agree with it. People called George Bush a Nazi, did you agree with that?
Me: I didn’t call him a Nazi.
Tucker: Sure you did.
Me: You mean you have read everything on my blog, all the various comments I have made in all the places on the web?
Tucker: No, (something that sounded like ‘harumph’ and turned his back on me.)
That’s the highlights. But there’s more! I have some photos of the rally itself, including the giant bus that AFP uses. It looks like a custom outfitted bus that would cost somewhere around $150,000-$200,000. And I am sure Ben Marchi is well paid to travel Virginia and ‘educate’ (in the 501(c)(4) sense) voters about the evils of health care for all and that darn climate problem.
A few more quick observations to leave you with:
- Ben Marchi lives in Charlottesville, and was a Republican Delegate to the National Republican Convention in 2004.
- Does Koch Industries/AFP pay royalties on the public performance of the music they use at the rally?
- Does Tucker Watkins really believe Tom Perriello is 100% funded by George Soros? (a claim he made to me Monday night).
- Is Tucker and the Koch Industries/AFP upset that only 25 people showed up?
- No financial disclosure has been made by this IRS 501(c)(3) group. We do not know all their contributors.
- Americans for Prosperity is 85% funded (2003) by Koch Family Foundations.
AFP is a non-profit organization who does not to disclose its donors. However, the Media Transparency project shows from 2003-2006, Americans for Prosperity received $1,181,000 from conservative foundations. $1 million of that funding was given by the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation–one of the Koch Family Foundations.
The AFP is the third largest recipient of funding from the Koch Family Foundations, behind the Cato Institute and the George Mason University Foundation.
Before 2003, when the AFP was still named the Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation, it received $18,460,912 in funding. 84% of that funding came from the Koch Family Foundations ($12,906,712) and the Scaife Family Foundations ($2,510,000).
Koch Family Foundations is funded by Koch Industries. According to Forbes, Koch Industries is the second largest privately-held company, and the largest privately owned energy company, in the United States. Koch industries has made its money in the oil business, primarily oil refining. Presently, it holds stakes in pipelines, refineries, fertilizer, forest products, and chemical technology.
Americans for Prosperity is also connected to oil giant ExxonMobil. According to ExxonSecrets, between the years 1998-2001, Citizens for A Sound Economy and Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation received $380,250 from ExxonMobil.
Medical-like graphics support the message.
Ben Marchi, State Director for Americans for Prosperity.
Marchi being interviewed by the media.
Joe Topham, Rep. Perriello's representative, talks with the 'Canadian' lady. Tucker Watkins looks on. (Note the anti-Soros sign)
More medical-like graphics on the bus.
