Lacking bipartisan support, CIA Director Mike Pompeo faces a roadblock Monday on his quest to become the next secretary of state.

Even as the endorsements of two Democratic senators all but assure Pompeo’s eventual confirmation, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations appears poised to rebuke the former Kansas congressman with close ties to conservative megadonors Charles and David Koch.

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 is comprised of 21 members — 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats — who have received a combined $707,250 from Koch Industries.

All but $1,835 of that went to Republican members.

The committee could endorse Pompeo down party lines if not for Republican Rand Paul, who remains opposed to the nomination, even after an in-person meeting with the nominee on Thursday.

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

Help us keep government accountable by making a donation today.

Since the Foreign Relations Committee began considering nominees in the late 1800s, members have only given favorable votes to secretary of state nominees. Committee Chair Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) has promised to send Pompeo’s nomination to the full Senate regardless of Monday’s outcome.

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

Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) collected $89,400, and Republicans Rob Portman, Cory Gardner and Ron Johnson have all received at least $80,000.

Corker’s $25,000 from Koch Industries is less than that of any other Republican on the committee besides Jeff Flake, who’s pulled in $19,300.

No Democrat on the committee has been given money from Koch Industries’ corporate PAC, but employees of Koch and its subsidiaries donated to four Democratic members — most notably Chris Coons of Delaware, who received $1,250.

Ben Cardin was given $500 and donations to Jeff Merkley and Christopher Murphy amounted to less than $100.



For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center: Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics.For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center: [email protected]





Support Accountability Journalism At OpenSecrets.org we offer in-depth, money-in-politics stories in the public interest. Whether you’re reading about 2020 presidential fundraising, conflicts of interest or “dark money” influence, we produce this content with a small, but dedicated team. Every donation we receive from users like you goes directly into promoting high-quality data analysis and investigative journalism that you can trust.Please support our work and keep this resource free. Thank you. Support OpenSecrets ➜