Sen. Rand Paul’s last-minute vote reversal helped CIA Director Mike Pompeo avoid a historic — if symbolic — snub as he advanced out of committee Monday with a favorable recommendation to become the nation’s 70th secretary of state.

Pompeo, the former Kansas congressman whose political career was paved by conservative megadonors Charles and David Koch, has earned the endorsements of three red-state Democrats — all but guaranteeing his eventual confirmation before the entire Senate later this week.

Koch Industries, headquartered in Pompeo’s former Wichita district, has funneled more money to Pompeo than any other federal politician. Bolstered by $400,500 from Koch Industries’ corporate PAC and individual employees, Pompeo won four terms before quickly rising through the ranks of the Trump administration.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations voted 11-9 in favor of Pompeo’s nomination. The 11 senators in the majority — all Republicans — have received a combined $705,415 from Koch Industries in their careers.

The nine Democrats in the minority have received no money from Koch Industries’ corporate PAC and just $585 in individual contributions from Koch employees.

Koch Industries donations to Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Members Senator Name Party Total Individual Donations PAC Rank* Rubio, Marco R $98,340 $38,340 $60,000 15 Isakson, Johnny R $90,100 $18,600 $71,500 20 Portman, Rob R $89,400 $29,900 $59,500 38 Gardner, Cory R $87,700 $32,700 $55,000 2 Johnson, Ron R $86,525 $41,525 $45,000 4 Barrasso, John A R $80,800 $10,300 $70,500 7 Paul, Rand R $52,250 $12,250 $40,000 6 Risch, James E R $47,000 $0 $47,000 1 Young, Todd R $29,000 $1,500 $27,500 100 Corker, Bob R $25,000 $2,500 $22,500 160 Flake, Jeff R $19,300 $2,300 $17,000 88 Coons, Chris D $1,250 $1,250 $0 1228 Cardin, Ben D $500 $500 $0 3834 Merkley, Jeff D $75 $75 $0 3550 Murphy, Christopher S D $10 $10 $0 8912 Booker, Cory D $0 $0 $0 - Kaine, Tim D $0 $0 $0 - Markey, Ed D $0 $0 $0 - Menendez, Robert D $0 $0 $0 - Shaheen, Jeanne D $0 $0 $0 - Udall, Tom D $0 $0 $0 -

Paul had originally pledged to oppose the nominee, but announced on Twitter just before the vote that conversations with President Trump had convinced him Pompeo would support Trump’s campaign pledge to pull troops out of Afghanistan.

Paul, whose libertarian ideology falls in line with the Koch brothers, has been the beneficiary of $52,250 of Koch Industries money.

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The top Koch recipient on the committee is Marco Rubio, the 2016 presidential hopeful who has been gifted $98,340 over the course of his career.

Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), the beneficiary of $89,400, was out of town giving the eulogy at a friend’s funeral, and voted by proxy. The count was 11-10 counting Isakson, but because Senate rules state that the deciding vote cannot be cast by proxy, Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.) volunteered to switch his vote to “present” rather than delay the foregone conclusion.

Coons, who told reporters he still plans to vote against Pompeo on the Senate floor, was gifted $1,250 by the employee of a Koch subsidiary — more than any other Democrat on the committee.

He called Isakson one of his “closest friends here” and said he was having an “incredibly hard day” and shouldn’t have to be rushed in to break the stalemate.

Republicans Rob Portman, Cory Gardner and Ron Johnson have all collected at least $80,000 from Koch Industries. Committee Chair Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) has brought in $25,000 — less than any Republican on the committee besides Jeff Flake with just $19,300.

James Risch (R-Idaho) received $47,000 from Koch Industries, making it his top benefactor.



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