Reid spoke of the Kochs at the start of his annual energy conference. Reid: Kochs 'enemies of progress'

LAS VEGAS — Industrialist brothers Charles and David Koch and “their cronies” are “enemies of progress” in developing green energy, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday at the start of his annual energy conference.

“We must repel the negative forces seeking to undermine support for clean energy,” said Reid, who has spent much of the past year denouncing the Kochs. “Huge amounts of money is being spent in misleading American consumers through a sophisticated and dishonest public relations campaign.”


He added: “These enemies of progress and their cronies are spending massive amounts of money to mislead every level of government.”

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Reid didn’t refer to the Kochs by name but told the National Clean Energy Summit 7.0 audience, “I think each of you know who I’m talking about.”

He also referred to a campaign by the Koch-linked American Legislative Exchange Council to charge a surtax on homeowners who install solar panels. “These enemies of progress and their corporate buddies are only interested in increasing their profits, their bottom line, not about our future,” Reid said.