Over the past few months, Mr. Bolcik lost two real-life friends because of online political spats.

WSJ: Why We Are So Rude on Facebook and Other Social Media

Instead, a prominent New York public-relations executive who is close with the Kochs put forward two friends: George Pataki, the former governor of New York, and Mortimer Zuckerman, the publisher and real-estate magnate.

NEWYORKER: Covert Operations