Reid says that the Koch brothers "... are in it to make money ..." but he says of Sheldon Adelson, “He’s in it because he has certain ideological views ..."

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Reid: Koch brothers are bad, Sheldon Adelson is not bad
By Steve Tetreault, May 8, 2014

In Sen. Harry Reid’s view, the Republican billionaire and politically active free-spending industrialist Koch brothers are evil. But he’s OK with Republican billionaire and politically active free-spending Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson.

Reid, the Senate majority leader from Nevada, drew a distinction between the moneyed GOPers during an interview recorded for airing Thursday and Friday.

“I know Sheldon Adelson. He’s not in this for the money,” Reid said on MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown” show when host Chuck Todd asked what makes the Kochs worse than Adelson, or politically active Democratic billionaires George Soros or Tom Steyer.

Adelson spent about $150 million in support of Republican candidates and causes during the 2012 elections. At present he is financing an extensive lobbying campaign in Washington and in various states seeking a ban on gambling over the Internet.

Adelson, chairman and chief executive of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., also is a leading and vocal supporter of Israel. He also has spent millions on health research and charitable causes in Las Vegas, including more than $25 million on the Adelson Educational Campus.

“He’s in it because he has certain ideological views,” Reid said, referring to Adelson. “Now, Sheldon Adelson’s social views are in keeping with the Democrats. On choice, on all kinds of things. So, Sheldon Adelson, don’t pick on him. He’s not in it to make money.”

In an October interview, Reid said he and Adelson were friends even though they differ politically.

“Some of my friends have spent a lot of money trying to defeat me, defeat my senators. Honestly I haven’t let it affect our friendship. Sheldon Adelson and I still meet and have conversations. He has a problem, I try to help him,” Reid told MSNBC host Rachel Maddow.

By contrast, Reid for several months has launched full-throated attacks on Charles and David Koch, industrialists whose contributions have propelled Americans For Prosperity, a conservative political organization that spent $122 million in 2012 and has spent more than $30 million on advertising against Democratic Senate candidates so far this year.

This week, Reid said the Koch brothers are “one of the main causes” of climate change.

“They are in it to make money,” Reid said of the Kochs, who head the Kansas-based Koch Industries, a multinational corporation involved in a broad range of industries including refining, chemicals, fertilizers, forestry and consumer products.

“That’s their whole goal here, is to add zeros to their billions,” Reid said. “On climate change, for example, University of Massachusetts determined they’re one of the worst polluters in America. In fact, they pollute more than — Exxon — General Electric, Dow Chemical, and on and on.”

Reid’s comments drew a response from Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee. He said the Nevadan’s comments on Adelson were “a disingenuous load of crap.”

“The fact that you’ve got Harry Reid, who all of a sudden now doesn’t seem to have a problem with Sheldon Adelson but before was screaming holy hell about the guy, along with the Koch brothers, is just such a disingenuous load of crap,” Steele said on “Morning Joe.”

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