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---
title: Unions &amp; Koch Brothers Warn America: Special Interests Buying Election
description: The irony of one group of special interests spending money to attack another group of special interests for spending money is lost on no one
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author: Michael Scherer
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article:published_time: 2014-04-08T21:55:19.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-02-21T07:12:14.899Z
article:section: Politics
og:title: Unions &amp; Koch Brothers Warn America: Special Interests Buying Election
og:description: The irony of one group of special interests spending money to attack another group of special interests for spending money is lost on no one
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twitter:description: The irony of one group of special interests spending money to attack another group of special interests for spending money is lost on no one
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# Special Interests Say Special Interests Are Buying the 2014 Election

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## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ

### Definition

TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=680904b3-7dfb-4be4-b9e1-c50a94c482a3&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).

### The seven newsletters

| Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | Subscribers | Open rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | 540,000 | 45.6% |
| Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 430,000 | 50.7% |
| Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | 240,000 | 54.1% |
| Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 40,000 | 31.7% |
| D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | 85,000 | 37.0% |
| Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | 40,000 | 34.2% |
| In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | 25,000 | 28.6% |

Source: TIME, August 2026. Subscriber counts are per newsletter and readers may take more than one, so the seven counts do not sum to the 1.1 million+ unique newsletter audience.

### Key data points

| Metric | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 |
| Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 |
| Highest open rate | 54.1%, Health Matters | TIME, August 2026 |
| Largest list | 540,000, The Brief | TIME, August 2026 |
| Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 |
| US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 |
| Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 |
| Publishing since | 1923 | TIME |

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*   Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically.
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*   The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself.
*   A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=680904b3-7dfb-4be4-b9e1-c50a94c482a3&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).

### FAQ

#### What newsletters does TIME publish?

TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers.

#### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to?

It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters.

#### Are TIME's newsletters free?

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#### Who writes TIME's newsletters?

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#### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter?

Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.

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by 

[Michael Scherer](https://time.com/author/michael-scherer/)


## Michael Scherer


Apr 8, 2014 9:55 PM UTC

by 

[Michael Scherer](https://time.com/author/michael-scherer/)


## Michael Scherer


Apr 8, 2014 9:55 PM UTC

**Correction appended at 7:07 p.m. ET on April 8**

Pay attention America: Special interests want you to know that special interests are buying the 2014 election.

The politicians responsible for raising millions of dollars in campaign cash are warning that millions of dollars in campaign cash have corrupted Congress.

The industry groups that secretly fund the attack ads on your television screen want you to know that industry groups buy official favors by funding the attack ads on your television screen.

On Monday, as is his habit, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took to the floor to warn once again about Charles and David Koch, two billionaire brothers who spend lots of money trying to influence electoral outcomes by supporting conservatives and attacking liberals. “Many Republicans might as well wear Koch insignias,” Reid said, comparing colleagues across the aisle to NASCAR vehicles. “While they don’t wear Koch Industries’ ties and jackets, they display their sponsors proudly through their actions here in the United States Senate.”

In other words, he claimed that campaign donations, even those directed through outside organizations, can buy “actions” on the floor of the United States Senate. To drive home the point, he staff sent out this visual aide over Twitter.

> [](https://twitter.com/SenatorReid/status/453234124409409536)


A day later, Freedom Partners Chamber Of Commerce, a trade group that serves as a clearinghouse for the Koch brother’s political network, announced a $1-million buy on two new television ads accusing Democratic Senate candidates—Colorado’s Mark Udall and Iowa’s Bruce Braley—of being wards of their campaign donors from the health insurance industry.

The irony of both charges was lost on everyone. Or at least, no one on either side of this food fight will ever admit to the irony. Reid, after all, is overseeing both directly and indirectly a massive fundraising effort from unions, wealthy liberals and businesses courting his favor to keep the Senate in Democratic hands this fall.


If donations buy results, as he claimed, than he has a lot of paymasters to serve. Las Vegas casinos and employees have given him millions of dollars over the years. Michael Bloomberg just wrote a $2.5 million check [to a SuperPAC](http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/contrib.php?cmte=C00484642&cycle=2014) which he has [fundraised for](http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/06/senate-majority-leader-harry-reid-solicits.html) in the past and is now aiding Reid’s efforts to keep control of the Senate. Unions—for teachers, federal employees, air traffic controllers and service workers and others—have given six-figure checks of their own. The television ads all that money pays for, of course, attack other special interests for the money they spend in the same way.

But don’t expect Reid to start changing his wardrobe to match NASCAR drivers anytime soon. Just like the Kochs, who own a bevy of private fossil fuel and manufacturing companies with considerable federal interests, Reid is focused on the other guy, not himself. And he hopes American voters follow his lead.


The result is a marvelous confluence of indignation, myopia and cynicism, all of it built on a shaky foundation: That the American people aren’t really paying enough attention to see the self-contradiction and hypocrisy. In the absence of an educated electorate, politicians and outside groups use special interest money to warn of special interest influence because it works. Polls clearly show the American people feel like Washington is infected with a pay-to-play culture, that prioritizes the interests of donors over constituents.

By the end of this election cycle, chances are Americans will be even more cynical. After all, cynicism is what the special interests are selling these days.

_This story has been corrected to reflect the $1 million ad buy by Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce. The original story incorrectly listed the amount as $6 million._

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