Stop the Koch brothers from Purchasing the Tribune Newspaper Group

The extreme right-wing ideologues Charles and David Koch have reportedly expressed interest in purchasing nine major newspapers in Los Angeles, Chicago, Allentown (PA), Baltimore, Orlando, Broward Country FL, Hartford, Hampton Roads, VA, and the Hoy, the second largest Spanish language paper in the US.

Millions of people count on their local newspapers for unbiased information about the critical issues affecting their communities and the world. Koch ownership of mainstream media would skew objective news sources for their own financial interests and extreme political beliefs.

The oil billionaire Koch brothers are major funders of organizations that distort science to deny climate change, and launch attacks on public education, expanded access to health care, immigrants and workers. The potential for the Koch's concentrated financial power to undermine honest discussion and informed debate is disturbing.

Please join 99 Uniting, SEIU and community partners in signing our petition to key decision maker Bruce Karsh, Chairman of the Board of the Tribune Company and President of Oaktree Capital—the largest single owner of Tribune paper stock—urging him to reject the Koch brothers as owners of the Tribune Newspapers.