N.Y. Professor Claims College Spurned $10-Million Koch Gift

A veteran Brooklyn College professor says the university has turned down a $10-million grant from Charles and David Koch because of the billionaire brothers’ conservative politics, according to the New York Post.

Mitchell Langbert said he, the college, and the Charles G. Koch Foundation were in talks for nearly a year about a grant to support the City University of New York branch’s business school. In an email exchange obtained by the newspaper, School of Business Dean William Hopkins said he would “have to ‘cut bait’” on the project to focus his attention on securing accreditation for the business school.

Mr. Langbert blamed the rejection on “intolerance about anyone who doesn’t toe the left-wing line.” Jason Carey, a Brooklyn College spokesman, said a business instructor received a $5,000 Koch grant last year but that otherwise the school has “neither received an offer from, nor submitted a proposal to the Koch Foundation at this time for the business school.” The foundation declined requests for comment.