Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate Mike Pence at the Republican National Convention in July 2016. Photo from Facebook
When Donald Trump embraced big infrastructure projects like the Dakota Access Pipeline he blamed the Obama administration for setting up "roadblocks" to jobs and prosperity. But it turns out that the Republican presidential nominee has another reason for supporting the controversial project: his own wallet. According to financial disclosure reports reviewed by The Guardian and The Associated Press, Trump has invested money in Energy Transfer Partners, the entity that's building the pipeline, and owns stock in Phillips 66 Company, a publicly-traded company with a stake in the pipeline. The ties don't end there: Energy Transfer CEO Kelcy Warren donated $103,000 to Trump's campaign. He ranks among the top 5 donors to the Republican, according to the Capital Research Center. Through a political action committee, Energy Transfer is also donating money to Republican politicians who are on the November 8 ballot. And so far this year, pipeline backers have spent $950,000 to lobby members of Congress and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the federal agency that's reviewing the project. Read More on the Story:
Dakota Access pipeline company and Donald Trump have close financial ties (The Guardian 10/26)
Trump holds Dakota Access pipeline company stock (AP 10/26)
Top Executive Behind Dakota Access Has Donated More Than $100,000 to Trump (Reuters 10/26)
Oil pipeline protesters brace for confrontation with police (AP 10/27)
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