Energy companies donated millions to Trump inaugural
Some of record $ 106.7 million haul was from those with issues pending before government
President Trump, who has moved quickly to sweep aside environmental regulations that he says curtail U. S. energy production, took in more than $ 8 million from energy interests to help underwrite his Jan. 20 inauguration, according to a USA TODAY analysis of a newly filed inaugural report.
Energy companies and executives donating to Trump’s inaugural committee include ExxonMobil, which contributed $ 500,000 in January, and Clifford Forrest, the founder of Pennsylvania- based coal- mining company, Rosebud Mining. Forrest donated $ 1 million in December.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said companies and individuals donated out of civic pride.
“Funding the inaugural committee is pretty much a non- partisan activity that has gone back every administration,” Spicer said. “I think a lot of Americans and companies and entities are proud to support the inaugural.”
Trump’s committee raised a record $ 106.7 million from private sources to fund six days of events, more than doubling the previous record of $ 53 million raised for President Obama’s first inauguration in 2009.
Other $ 1 million contributors from the energy sector include a trust tied to billionaire coal operator Joseph Craft and John Hess, the chief executive of the Hess Corp., an oil and gas company. On Wednesday, The Wall Street Jour
nal, citing unidentified sources, reported that Exxon has asked the U. S. Treasury Department for a waiver from U. S. sanctions against Russia to allow the company to resume drilling operations with the Russian- owned oil company, Rosneft. Exxon officials did not immediately respond to an interview request.
Dozens of companies and individuals wrote seven- figure checks, many with policy issues pending before the administration. AT& T, which is awaiting a Justice Department review of its proposed $ 85.4 billion purchase of Time Warner, donated $ 2.08 million, records show.
Other big contributors included billionaire hedge- fund manager Robert Mercer, who donated $ 1 million; and NFL team owners Dan Snyder ( Washington Redskins), Robert Kraft ( New England Patriots), Woody Johnson ( New York Jets) and Shahid Khan ( Jacksonville Jaguars).
Committees are not required to disclose how they spend their contributions.