25 Arrested Outside Fossil-Fuel Billionaires' Right-Wing Retreat

"Hundreds of environmentalists, union members and liberal activists converged on Rancho Mirage on Sunday to rally against what they see as the influence of two of the nation's leading financial backers of conservative causes.

The protestors waved signs condemning "corporate greed," chanted slogans and surged toward a line of helmeted police officers at the entrance to a resort where billionaires Charles and David Koch were holding a retreat for prominent conservative elected officials, major political donors and strategists.

Protest organizers said they hoped to raise awareness about the Koch brothers and what activists portray as their shadowy attempts to weaken environmental protection laws and undercut campaign contribution limits.

The brothers control Koch Industries, the nation's second-largest privately held company. They have funded groups pushing a limited-government, libertarian agenda, helped organize "tea party" groups and contributed $1 million to a failed ballot initiative to suspend California's law to curb greenhouse gases."

Rich Connell and Tom Hamburger report for the Los Angeles Times January 31, 2011.

SEE ALSO:

"Greenpeace Protests at Koch Brothers' Rally" (Guardian)

"Californians To Protest Against Koch Brothers in Rancho Mirage" (Los Angeles Times)