GOP Megadonor Lobbied Trump Administration to Block Opening of Gordie Howe Bridge Arrow

According to new reports, Matthew Moroun, a Republican megadonor and owner of the Ambassador Bridge that connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, met with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on Monday. Following the meeting, Donald Trump threatened to shut down the Gordie Howe Bridge, which is a competitor of Moroun's Ambassador Bridge.

For years, the Morouns have aggressively objected to the construction of the Gordie Howe bridge, including spending over $30 million on a ballot initiative to block the construction of the bridge. The Morouns have given over $1 million to the RNC in recent years.

Detroit's automakers have long supported the construction of the Gordie Howe Bridge to expedite the delivery of auto parts and create thousands of high-paying union jobs in Michigan. Trump himself admitted how important the bridge is for Michigan and the American economy, calling it a "vital economic link" connecting Michigan and its biggest trading partner.

In response,DNC Spokesperson Albert Fujii released the following statement:

"This is corruption, plain and simple. Donald Trump threw Michigan workers and companies under the bus, all because a Republican megadonor didn't want another competitor threatening his bottom line. Opening the Gordie Howe Bridge will grow Michigan's economy and bring jobs to Michiganders struggling under Trump's failed economy. It's time Michigan Republicans grew a spine and did what's right for workers, not their megadonors."

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