Wall Street Journal Editorial Discusses Unwarranted Political Attacks on Koch Industries

The Wall Street Journal published an op-ed today written by Theodore Olson, former Solicitor General from 2001 to 2004, which addresses the relentless attacks on Koch Industries and its shareholders throughout the past several years. The op-ed notes that Koch Industries and its shareholders have been singled out because of Koch’s longstanding and firm commitment to economic freedom. The op-ed further notes that the tactics being employed demonizing those with whom you disagree with politically – whether on the right or the left – is setting dangerous precedent.

Below is an excerpt from the op-ed:

Our Constitution even explicitly prohibits bills of attainder so that Congress may not single out individual citizens or groups for disfavored treatment or unequal application of the force of government. Prosecutorial power is rigidly constrained and judicially supervised so that government may not accuse private citizens of crimes or investigate them without good cause.

Whoever may be the victim of such abuse of governmental authority, the press and public almost invariably unify with indignation against it. If a journalist, labor-union leader or community organizer on the left can be targeted today, an academic or business person on the right can be the target tomorrow. If we fail to stand up against oppression from one direction, we abdicate the moral authority to challenge it when it comes from another.