NC GOP calls for Cooper investigation over pipeline
The state Republican Party called Tuesday on the U.S. Attorney's Office to investigate Gov. Roy Cooper over his administration's handling of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and a $57.8 million mitigation fund attached to it.
Posted — UpdatedParty officials sent a letter to U.S. Attorney Robert Higdon asking the office to review "potential Hobbs Act violations by Governor Cooper."
The Hobbs Act is federal law prohibiting interference with interstate commerce. When applied to public officials, it includes extortion and bribery, such as accepting outside payment knowing that it was made in exchange for an official act.
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed receipt of the letter but declined further comment, citing Department of Justice policy not to confirm nor deny the existence of investigations.
The state party's letter was addressed not only to Higdon but to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. It runs six pages, laying out details of the pipeline fund as reported by North Carolina media, including that Cooper's family owns land near the pipeline's planned route.
There's no indication the pipeline fund is connected to that land, but Woodhouse said Cooper doesn't have to personally profit from the pipeline deal to warrant an inquiry, saying that the benefit could be political. The fund could be used to placate environmental groups, for example, upset with the governor because his administration approved the gas pipeline, he said.
"Calling for a federal investigation of a sitting North Carolina governor is a serious matter and not taken lightly," Woodhouse said during a press conference with state party Chairman Robin Hayes. "However, the conduct of Gov. Cooper regarding the $58 million pipeline fund designed to be under his sole control appears to be that worst example of pay-to-play politics."
The Democratic Party hit back, saying Republicans were lurching "from one conspiracy to another" with partisan politics as "their sole driving force."
Cooper and his administration have acknowledged the poor optics of the pipeline fund, announced within an hour of DEQ announcing approval of the pipeline's water permit. But they've said there was no ill intent and that the governor planned to use the money to help eastern North Carolina hook into the gas supply.
Trees are being felled now along the route from central West Virginia to southeastern North Carolina.
The pipeline companies have a similar mitigation fund deal with the state of Virginia, and they're working on one with West Virginia. But Virginia's agreement was between the pipeline coalition and the state, signed by then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe's secretary of natural resources. It named groups that would receive funding.
North Carolina's agreement was between the coalition and the governor, in his official capacity, a decision the Cooper administration said it made to keep a GOP legislative majority that it does not trust from controlling the money. McKinney signed on Cooper's behalf, and the memorandum said a future executive order would flesh out details.
The money would have flowed to "an escrow account designated by a third party selected by the governor."
• Credits
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.