Reid sparks #KochBrothersAreToBlameFor

by Blake Neff - 03/13/14 3:42 PM ET

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s aggressive criticism of conservatives Charles and David Koch quickly turned into a hashtag meme on Twitter Thursday, which the senator himself then participated in.

Reid (D-Nev.) has been launching blistering attacks on the billionaire brothers, who own large stakes in the conglomerate Koch Industries and are known for supporting an array of conservative and libertarian political causes. Recently, he has accused the two of blocking action against global warming and of being “un-American.”

On Thursday, Reid continued his campaign both on the Senate floor and on Twitter, accusing the brothers of holding up a congressional bill that would send aid to Ukraine.

{mosads}In response, Twitter user Cameron Gray, an executive producer at NRA News, created the mocking hashtag #KochBrothersAReAlsoToBlameFor and suggested the Kochs were responsible for all manner of bad things, from sad puppies to the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.

#KochBrothersAreAlsoToBlameFor _____________

— Cameron Gray (@Cameron_Gray) March 13, 2014

#KochBrothersAreAlsoToBlameFor The Jacksonville Jaguars

— Cameron Gray (@Cameron_Gray) March 13, 2014

The hashtag quickly became one of the top trends on Twitter, with users ascribing to the Koch brothers blame for phenomena as diverse as the polar vortex, Justin Bieber’s popularity, and the 100 Years’ War.

#KochBrothersAreAlsoToBlameFor New coke, spandex on fat chicks, all the Police Academy movies, and all your lost socks.

— Steve Madurski (@SMadurski) March 13, 2014

#KochBrothersAreAlsoToBlameFor the 100 Years War

— WitCoHE (@E__Strobel) March 13, 2014

Others used the hashtag to defend the Kochs from Reid’s attacks.

#KochBrothersAreAlsoToBlameFor I don’t know, a few million jobs created not only in the U.S, but around the world.

— Katie Johnson (@kjon) March 13, 2014

After about an hour, Reid himself got in on the action, accusing the Kochs of deceiving the public on ObamaCare.