Billionaire industrialist and conservative benefactor Koch is hosting hundreds of... (Associated Press) 
 
 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — From a luxury hotel on the edge of the Rocky Mountains, some of the nation's most powerful Republican donors are rebelling against Donald Trump. Mark Holden, general counsel and senior vice president of Koch Industries, told the Associated Press that the Koch network won't spend anything to help Trump directly in 2016, even though it may evoke Clinton in attacks on Democratic congressional candidates. None of the presidential candidates are aligned with the Koch network "from a values, and beliefs and policy perspective," Holden said, citing other determining factors such as "running a good campaign" and talking about key issues "in a positive productive way." "We don't really, in some cases, don't really have good options," Koch said in describing the "current political situation." The comments came Saturday, the first of a three-day gathering for donors who promise to give at least $100,000 each year to the various groups backed by the Koch brothers' Freedom Partners — a network of education, policy and political entities that aim to promote a smaller, less intrusive government. "I turned down a meeting with Charles and David Koch," the New York billionaire tweeted. "Much better for them to meet with the puppets of politics, they will do much better!" The weekend's agenda for the estimated 400 donors gathered in Colorado Springs featured a series of policy discussions and appearances from at least three governors, four senators and four members of the House of Representatives, including House Speaker Paul Ryan. Scott Walker, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey talked up policy successes in their states on Saturday night, avoiding discussion of the 2016 presidential contest altogether. "Forty years worth of Supreme Court justices are going to be determined this November," Gardner told donors, a reference to the next president's ability to fill at least one existing vacancy on the high court. Doug Ducey, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas. Rep Jason Chaffetz of Utah and Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado. Yet Koch later told his guests that America's frustrated electorate is looking at the wrong place -- politicians -- for answers. "And to me, the answers they're getting are frightening," he said without naming any politicians, "because by and large, these answers will make matters worse." Charles and David Koch have hosted such gatherings of donors and politicians for years, but usually in private. The weekend's event includes a small number of reporters, including one from The Associated Press. Koch has put the network's budget at roughly $750 million through the end of 2016. A significant portion was supposed to be directed at electing a Republican to the White House. It will instead go to helping Republican Senate candidates in at least five states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Wisconsin and Florida, Holden said, noting that the network has dedicated $42 million so far to television and digital advertising to benefit Republican Senate candidates. In some cases, the network may try to link Democratic Senate candidates to Clinton, he added, but there are no plans to go after her exclusively in paid advertising. The organization may invest in a handful of races for governor and House of Representatives as well. And while the network will not be a Trump ally, it won't necessarily be a Trump adversary either. "We have no intention to go after Donald Trump," Holden said.
– Charles and David Koch are officially sitting on their wallets when it comes to the candidacy of one Donald J. Trump, reports Fox News, with Charles Koch telling a gathering of conservative elites Saturday in Colorado that "We don't really, in some cases, don't really have good options" in the "current political situation." That translates to zero Koch dollars for the Republican nominee, a Koch rep says, given that no presidential candidates lined up from "a values, and beliefs and policy perspective. Based on that, we're focused on the Senate," he says, noting that Koch Industries has thus far dropped $42 million on advertising for GOP Senate candidates. Trump responded to the slight via Twitter, saying, "I turned down a meeting with Charles and David Koch. Much better for them to meet with the puppets of politics, they will do much better!" The Kochs' decision doesn't mean they'll use their money to undermine Trump, however. "We have no intention to go after Donald Trump," their rep tells the AP. But with a war chest that he says is about $750 million—of which a significant chunk was to go toward re-taking the Oval Office from the Democrats—it's still a financial blow to Trump and windfall for Senate Republicans.