discuss what the grand jury learned, or the specific evidence presented to it, due to confidentiality rules. She refused to say whom the jury called as witnesses, or what documents it might have obtained. But the confidentiality rules allowed her to discuss her strategy in the case and how the case progressed over the months.
As Jones pressed her case from the US Attorney’s office: United States of America ex rel. William I. Koch and William A. Presley, Plaintiffs, v. Koch Industries, Inc., et al., Defendants, Order, August 6, 1998, 7.a.
Koch Industries responded by circling the wagons: United States of America ex rel. William I. Koch and William A. Presley, Plaintiffs, v. Koch Industries, Inc., et al., Defendants. Order, August 6, 1998.
The standards of conduct said: Ibid., 5.a–c.
On July 11, 1988, Koch’s president, Bill Hanna: Ibid., 5.d.
Bill Koch only fed into the company’s sense of embattlement: Elroy, Dubose, interviews by author, 2014–15; FBI internal memorandum, “Koch Industries Incorporated, Wichita, Kansas; CRIME ON AN INDIAN RESERVATION—THEFT; RACKETEERING INFLUENCE AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATION,” July 26, 1989; Burrough, “Wild Bill Koch.”
Charles Koch did more than circle the wagons: “Before the Special Committee on Investigations, Select Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate: Statement by Koch Industries, Inc.,” submitted June 7, 1989.
But when faced with . . . Koch redirected his political efforts: Howell, interviews by author, 2015–16; Phillip L. Zweig and Michael Schroeder, “Bob Dole’s Oil Patch Pals,” Bloomberg Businessweek, April 1, 1996.
Koch’s first tactical goal . . . issue of oil theft: Howell, interviews by author, 2015–16; Zweig and Schroeder, “Bob Dole’s Oil Patch Pals.”
One of the primary victims . . . Osage tribe in Oklahoma: Charles O. Tillman, interview by author, 2015.
Tillman and other Osage leaders went public: “Osages Deny Tribe Swindled in Oil Deals,” Tulsa Tribune, March 21, 1990; Bob Vandewater, “Osage Royalties Probe Calls Oil Payments Fair,” Daily Oklahoman, March 21, 1990.
Koch Industries deepened its relationship with Kansas senator Bob Dole: Bob Dole, interview by author, 2016; Zweig and Schroeder, “Bob Dole’s Oil Patch Pals.”
Dole helped Koch delegitimize the issue: “Investigation of Indian Oil Purchase,” Bob Dole submission to US Congressional Record, March 26, 1990.
As senators fought . . . Koch put another piece of its plan into place: Howell, interviews by author, 2015–16; John J. Fialka, “How Koch Industries Tries to Influence Judicial System,” Wall Street Journal, August 9, 1999.
Michael Corrigan attended a Koch-sponsored seminar: Fialka, “How Koch Industries Tries.”
The Law & Economics Center claimed: Law & Economics Center website, masonlec.
Jones and Elroy . . . Koch’s internal documents: Nancy Jones, Elroy, interviews by author, 2014–16.
Nicastro was no ordinary document courier: David Nicastro, deposition with US Senate investigators, transcript, April 24, 1989; United States of America ex rel. William I. Koch and William A. Presley, Plaintiffs, v. Koch Industries, Inc., et al., Defendants, Order, August 6, 1998, 45.b.i.
When the Oklahoma grand jury . . . Nicastro apparently made a special trip: Nancy Jones, interviews by author, 2015–16. David Nicastro declined to be interviewed. He left Koch Industries after these events and became president of Secure Source International, an independent corporate security firm. On his website, Nicastro claims to be able to penetrate even the most sophisticated corporate security systems, as a way to show clients how those systems are vulnerable.
Then something happened that punctured a hole in the case: Elroy, Nancy Jones, interviews by author, 2014–15.
In Elroy’s absence . . . Koch’s favor: FBI “302” reports summarizing interviews with Koch gaugers in in Oklahoma and Texas, 1990; FBI internal memorandum, Subject: “Koch Industries,” August 20, 1990; FBI internal memorandum, 196B-OC-48271: “[L]eads assigned in June 1991 have been put on hold until further notice.”
one gauger was interviewed in a Dairy Queen parking lot: FBI 302 report (REV. 3-10-82), June 18, 1991.
The FBI was searching . . . shakeup at the US Attorney’s office: Nancy Jones, Leonard, Don Nickles, interviews by author, 2015–2018; Zweig and Schroeder, “Bob Dole’s Oil Patch Pals.”
She said there was lukewarm enthusiasm . . . the Koch case: This account is based on Nancy Jones’s recollection of events. Arlene Joplin refused to discuss the meeting or anything having to do with the Koch Industries investigation.
In April of 1991 . . . Nickles nominated Timothy Leonard: Nancy Jones, Leonard, Nickles, interviews by author, 2015–18.
Leonard’s decision raised suspicion: Zweig and Schroeder, “Bob Dole’s Oil Patch Pals”; Mayer, Dark Money, 133–34.
The FBI’s case file . . . not to file charges: FBI internal memorandum, Subject: “Koch Industries,” August 20, 1990. The memo states, in part: “During this sixty (60) day period