Koch Responds to Violent Rhetoric from Obama Campaign Advisor David Axelrod

WICHITA, Kan., May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Statement from Philip Ellender
President, Government & Public Affairs
 - Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC

Despite pronouncements from the Obama campaign that its rhetoric would become more "positive," senior Obama advisor David Axelrod's comments to reporters on May 7 reveal that the campaign continues to stoop to the lowest forms of invective.  Mr. Axelrod described Koch as "contract killers over there in super PAC land."  

Koch has not contributed to any super PAC organizations as yet in this election cycle.  Our criticisms have been directed at policies of this administration that have looked to big government solutions and have led our country to unsustainable debt.  We believe that economic freedom and free markets are the best means to advance societal progress. When the president's campaign singles out individual, private Americans and compares them to hired assassins, it demeans the public discourse and does a terrible disservice to our democratic process.  Americans deserve a serious conversation about the immense economic challenges facing our country and instead the Obama campaign is delivering only insults and personal attacks against private citizens for exercising their constitutional rights of free expression.

In the past, the president and his allies have been swift to denounce public figures that use the language and imagery of violence in the discourse.  We would urge the president to take responsibility for Mr. Axelrod's remarks and set a better example for his campaign.  

SOURCE Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC