coulds. now we have the flexibility to pay teachers based on performance, not merely seniority. josh, why are people convinced he is trying to show a softer side? he s being a very smart politician. if you look at these $5s, it sounds more like barack obama than it does someone like david coch. in ohio when people got to the vote yes or no to collective bargaining should workers still get to have a voice in negotiations with the government, people voted yes. in this case, scott walker is trying to muddy the issue. scott walker has been making the rounds and he is of late has blamed outsiders for now costing the state $9 million for this recall effort. and this money could be going to help those within the state. so i don t know if that s a softer side or not. he still seems ready for the fight or ready to blame what he s deemed outsiders who have come in and ruined his state. he s trying to slice and dice the working class and union members. seize happy to say ta big
government unions are spending too much money but at the same time, if you look at the interview he did with the atlantic, he likes private sector unions, how they re not causing had imtrouble and this ad is talking about the benefits for workers. if you look at it through that prism, it is a clear walkback here. i m less intrigued by scott walker, more intrigued by david koch. we got a taste of why the david doesn t give a lot of interviews. he led a reporter in to try to talk to her about all his cancer donations and she got him saying that the walker recall was all about koch and walker trying to stop union power. are they regretting the move they made in taking on the unions in wisconsin and the larger ramifications of this action? well, scott walker and david koch got something they ve dreamed about for a long time. it depends on what happens in
political action committee have soared since 2006 to more than $4 million, more than 80% going to republicans. david koch also helped create americans for prosperity, a major backer of tea party events across the country. who decides wisconsin s futures? reporter: taking sides with scott walker who received $43,000 from koch industries in his 2010 race for governor. and the kochs are busy when it comes to state politics. they have also given $22,000 to john kasik. they rarely do interviews. they did not return our request for comments on this story. still, the koch brothers have their defenders saying they do donate money to a variety of causes and give a portion of their contributions to democrats. interesting look, thanks so much, jim. you bet. ahead on this american
well, 18 minutes past the hour on this american morning. they are two of the most unflunl people in american politics, and chances are, you have no idea who they are. but they have deep pockets and that s affecting the labor disputes. jim acosta live in washington with more this morning. hi, jim. reporter: good morning. you re right, most americans have never heard of the coch brothers, but with big battles looming, liberal activists are trying to change that. reporter: when senator scott brown made this fund raising appeal to billionaire and conservative activist david coch, it was caught on tape by a liberal blogger. i could certainly use it again. what are you running for the next term?
reporter: weeks before that, another progressive blogger posed to make this prank phone call to scott walker. hi, this is scott walker. scott, david koch, how are you? i m good, and yourself? reporter: democratic activists see a curtain being pulled back, revealing one of the most powerful and mysterious forces in politics. they ve been able to operate in secrecy and use vast amounts of their personal wealth to control our democracy. reporter: two of the world s richest billionaires control koch industries, a manufacturing giant with products ranging from petroleum to paper cups. they ve used that wealth to back conservative causes aimed at shrinking the size of government. campaign contributions, lobbying, the funding of political groups or non-profit groups. they seem to be doing it all? they seem to be doing it all because they have the ability to do it all. reporter: candidate contributions from the koch s