According to this WaPo article, there seems to be a lot of grey space in this discussion. On the one hand, the Kochs seem to have been plenty charitable in donating millions for the creation of a new dinosaur hall in the Smithsonian.

The Smithsonian says that all of the Koch sponsored exhibits deal with the impacts of climate change.

And the Smithsonian is clearly on the record in support of climate change being man made.

What does all this mean? I'm not completely sure. I would guess that an overwhelming majority of visitors to the Natural History Museum aren't going there for a debate on global warming. And I would guess that any exhibits that discuss global warming would be fairly neutral lest rabble rousers on both sides of the debate boycott the place or otherwise create bad publicity for what can only be described as a national treasure.

Anyway, here's portions of the article.....

David Koch, the billionaire conservative donor and executive vice president of Koch Industries, donated $35 million in 2012 for a new dinosaur hall at the Smithsonian’s Natural History museum. He had previously given $15 million to the museum’s hall of human origins that is named for him. In New York’s museum, he donated $20 million to the dinosaur wing that is also named after him.

Randall Kremer, spokesman for the Smithsonian Natural History museum, said both exhibits deal in great detail with the impacts of climate change. And that Koch, and others on the board, are well aware of that.

Kremer told the Loop that they wouldn’t be supporting the museum if they “did not understand the science behind our public programs.” (The Smithsonian has been unequivocal in its belief that climate change is manmade.)

Koch did not respond directly to the letter, or his opinion on climate change, but Ken Spain, Koch’s managing director for external relations did send the Loop an e-mailed statement:

“David Koch and the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation have pledged or contributed more than $1.2 billion dollars to educational institutions and cultural institutions, cancer research, medical centers, and to assist public policy organizations. Mr. Koch remains committed to supporting these causes.”

It’s improbable that the museums are going to cut off a top benefactor. But the letter, signed by a number of scientists from universities and environmental interest groups, will certainly be an irritant.

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I would agree that there public policy initiatives and contributions to conservative organizations that fight against solutions to a growing problem with climate chage is pretty deplorable.

I'd also say that their support of marriage equality in the upcoming Supreme Court case is admirable.

All I am saying is when it comes to the Koch brothers, you get some good and you get some bad.