'God bless the Koch brothers. They’re fighting for our freedom,' Vitter says. Vitter defends Koch brothers

Sen. David Vitter stepped up this week to defend the billionaire Koch brothers from Democrats’ repeated attacks, concluding that they are “two of the most patriotic Americans.”

In a video posted by the liberal tracking firm American Bridge from a Louisiana town hall, Vitter told a constituent that the First Amendment is a “protective right” of the public to be able to lobby legislators directly. The woman then questioned the Louisiana Republican senator about the growing influence of Charles and David Koch.


“I think the Koch brothers are two of the most patriotic Americans,” Vitter replied. “Maybe this is a good example, because I’ll be honest with you, God bless the Koch brothers. They’re fighting for our freedom.”

In a longer version of the clip shared with POLITICO, Vitter said at the beginning of the discussion he is “not defending Big Money in politics” by backing the role that lobbyists play but instead instead simply noting the protections of the First Amendment.

( Also on POLITICO: Back when the Kochs gave to Democrats …)

Vitter is running for governor of Louisiana in 2015. A Vitter spokesman did not immediately respond to questions about the video clip. American Bridge said the video was taken on Wednesday in Blanchard, La., and local media reported the senator was scheduled for a town hall in Blanchard that day.

The Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity is spending millions attacking incumbent Democrats on climate and health care issues, including Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.). The avalanche of outside spending has provoked a rhetorical broadside from Democrats, who are itching to make the influence of the conservative brothers a central issue during this fall’s midterm elections. That effort has been led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who has a particularly frosty relationship with Vitter.

Other Senate Republicans have defended the rights of AFP and other outside groups to spend freely on political causes, but Vitter’s remarks in the video are the strongest pro-Koch backing from a Republican yet.