Billionaire conservative donor David Koch dies at 79
Billionaire David Koch has died at age 79. Koch was a major donor to conservative causes and educational groups.
A person close to the Koch family told The Associated Press on Friday that Koch had died. The person wasn't authorized to discuss the death and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Together with his older brother, Charles, the Kochs were best known for a vast political network they built that became popularly known as the "Kochtopus" for its far-reaching tentacles in support of conservative causes.
The brothers founded the anti-tax, small government group Americans for Prosperity.
Koch was an engineer trained at MIT. He joined Koch Industries in 1970 and serves on its board. He was chief executive officer of Koch Chemical Technology Group, a Koch subsidiary.
Charles Koch released the following statement:
David retired as executive vice president of Koch Industries in 2018. He leaves behind his wife, Julia Koch, and three children. His family released this statement on his passing:
Elizabeth and I express our deepest sympathy on the passing of our long-time friend, David Koch. There will be volumes written about all the positive things he did with his life.
— Senator Bob Dole (@SenatorDole) August 23, 2019
I was saddened to hear of the passing of David Koch. He was a compassionate philanthropist, successful businessman, and a proud American. I send my prayers to the Koch family during this difficult time.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) August 23, 2019