Bill Cole
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Senate President Bill Cole spent the weekend at a Palm Springs resort with about 500 high-spending donors, where he spoke at a retreat organized by the conservative mega-donors Charles and David Koch.
The annual donors retreat is organized by the Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit affiliated with the Koch brothers, which requires an annual membership fee of $100,000. The event is not open to the public, just to major conservative donors, although select media were invited to attend.
Charles Koch gave the opening address at the retreat.
Cole, R-Mercer, and a candidate for governor, spoke at the exclusive event, to discuss his work in improving West Virginia’s economy, a campaign spokesman said.
“He specifically addressed his legislation to make West Virginia the 26th right-to-work state,” campaign spokesman Kent Gates said in an email. “Bill Cole will travel throughout West Virginia and beyond — to talk about his commitment to fixing the economic and financial crisis that West Virginia faces.”
The event was held at the Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa. The luxury hotel was rented out entirely for the Freedom Partners event, according to The Hill, a Washington newspaper…
