The political network helmed by Charles and David Koch has quietly built a secretive operation that conducts surveillance and intelligence gathering on its liberal opponents, viewing it as a key strategic tool in its efforts to reshape American public life.The operation, which is little-known even within the Koch network, gathers what Koch insiders refer to as “competitive intelligence” that is used to try to thwart liberal groups and activists, and to identify potential threats to the expansive network.Politico

Former GOP chair Steele said, "the growth of the Koch network raises questions about “the relevance of the parties. And a lot of people answer by saying they’re not relevant anymore, which is why you’re seeing a lot of this activity outside of them. These organizations have the ability to raise unlimited money that the parties can’t. And at the end of the day, the party can’t compete with that.”