Kochtopus; Lobbying, first efforts; Robert Strauss; Democratic National Committee

In contrast to their idealistic but amateurish approach during the Old Libertarian Party days, with Fink's help the Kochs' methods became decidedly more pragmatic. Facing serious threats to their business, they began playing the Washington political game as aggressively as any other corporation, if not more so. ...After [1989], Koch Industries crossed ideological lines to hire Robert Strauss, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, who was by then Washington's premier lobbyist. (173-174)