A conservative Kansas House member is accusing Koch Industries of trying to punish him politically for questioning the company’s lobbying against the state’s renewable energy standards for utilities.
Olathe Republican Scott Schwab says the Kansas Chamber of Commerce is not endorsing him in the August 5th Republican primary because of a confrontation he had with Koch lobbyists last year.
The chamber and Koch Industries oppose a law requiring utilities to have renewable resources account for 20 percent of their total capacity for generating electricity by 2020.
Schwab says he told Koch lobbyists to testify publicly against the law rather than remain behind the scenes. He’s since voted to preserve the law.
Koch Industries declined comment. Kansas Chamber CEO Mike O'Neal said Monday that Schwab's allegation is without merit.
