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| Charles Koch says he’s a ‘classic liberal’. Photograph: Wichita Eagle/MCT via Getty Images |
US businessman Charles Koch spoke candidly about his role as a power broker for Republicans and his disappointment with the candidates for the 2016 election in a rare interview published on Friday.
Speaking to the Financial Times at the headquarters of Koch Industries, the second-largest privately held company by revenue in the US, Koch – who has been vilified by both Democrats and the press – explained why he agreed to the interview.
“We’re being attacked every day by blogs, other newspapers, media, people in government, and they were totally perverting what we do and why we do it. We have had other people answering it,” Koch said. “But I’m the evil guy, so I need to come out and show who I am, like it or not.”
The businessman and philanthropist claimed he was a “classical liberal” and said he considered William Gladstone, the 19th century British politician who was against Corn Law trade tariffs and political patronage, as a political hero.
Koch said he was “disappointed” with the selection of Republican candidates this year, but nevertheless expected to spend approximately $900m during the 2016 election and would eventually endorse a candidate.
“It is hard for me to get a high level of enthusiasm because the things I’m passionate about and I think this country urgently needs aren’t being addressed,” Koch said.
He criticized Republican candidate Donald Trump when asked about Trump’s insistence to require Muslims to register with the government. Koch claimed that would “destroy our free society”. He went on to criticize the US military’s presence in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Please continue this article here: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/08/charles-koch-disappointed-republican-candidates-us-election-2016
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