The New York Times is reporting that David H. Koch — one-half of the Bond-villain-duo Koch Brothers of the fever swamps of the Left’s imagination — has left the board of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Koch had served on the board for over two decades and donated $23 million to the museum — the dinosaur wing even bears his name. But Koch’s philanthropy hasn’t pleased many on the environmentalist fringe:
Dozens of members of the scientific community signed a letter that called for museums of science and natural history to “cut all ties” with fossil fuel companies and philanthropists like Mr. Koch.
While the museum’s spokesman claims that Koch’s departure was not related to the criticism, that’s not the way the left-wing blogosphere is taking the news.
“Climate Denier David H. Koch Leaves American Museum of Natural History’s Board,” trumpets New York magazine. “After 23 Years, David Koch Resigns from Natural History Museum Board amidst Protests by Scientists,” crows the Daily Kos.
Let me get this straight, “members of the scientific community” are upset at a philanthropist who has given tens of millions of dollars to a science museum? I’d say this is a good tidbit to remember if they ever come around asking for donations from you or me.
A range of lefty organizations sponsored a petition to have Koch removed from his position on the board:
Oil mogul David Koch sits on the board of our nation’s largest and most respected natural history museums, while he bankrolls groups that deny climate science.
Sign this petition to the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History: It’s time to get science deniers out of science museums. Kick Koch off the board!
You read that correctly, the environmentalists are now also pressing the Smithsonian to jettison Koch — for bankrolling political opinions with which they disagree. Koch has donated much of his fortune to various causes: New York’s Lincoln Center for the Perfroming Arts ballet theater is the “David H. Koch Theater”; bankrolled by a $100 million donation.
It’s none of my business, but I wonder if these guys have thought through whether Koch will continue to sponsor their favorite museums — to the tune of tens of millions of dollars — after their personal attacks on him?
I know I wouldn’t.