Charles Koch is one-half — long with his brother David — of the megadonor Koch brothers, vilified by Democrats for their contributions to tea party groups.
But Koch told CBS News in a rare interview aired Sunday that he actually got into politics to fight special interests.
"If I didn't think it was healthy or fair I wouldn't do it," Koch told Anthony Mason on
"CBS Sunday Morning."
When Mason challenged that Koch himself is considered a special interest by many, Koch countered that his interest is that same as it has been in business: "What will help people improve their lives?"
Getting rid of special interests, he said, is "the whole thing that drives me."
He isn't trying to buy power as his critics, claim, Koch said.
"What I want is a system where there isn't as much centralized power, where it's dispersed to the people," he said. "Everything I advocate points in that direction."
That includes donations to causes such as the United Negro College Fund and a partnership with the Obama administration to
reduce prison sentences for nonviolent offenders.
That shouldn't be surprising, Koch said.
"I feel the way Fredrick Douglass did. He said I'll work with anyone to do good and with no one to do harm," he said.
The organizations Koch donates to have been major supporters of the tea party movement. The libertarian Koch said he agrees with the tea party on some issues, not on others – and he is not a Republican, though his groups tend to support Republicans.
"I consider myself a classical liberal," he said. "The way I look at it, the Democrats are taking us at about 100 mph over the financial cliff and towards the two-tiered society, and the Republicans are taking us there at 70 mph."
In an interview with
ABC's Barbara Walters in December, David Koch said the brothers support gay rights and abortion rights, but see the bigger issue at the moment to be a balanced budget.
Charles Koch wouldn't commit to a presidential candidate, saying the media made hay over his brother saying he "liked" Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who has since dropped out of the race.
Charles Koch said he thought Walker would have resonated better, "but he wasn't a very good campaigner."
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