Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released its new report today, Troubled Crossing, detailing how billionaire Manuel “Matty” Moroun has mounted an expensive influence campaign to prevent the construction of a new bridge between Detroit and Canada.
Mr. Moroun’s company, the Detroit International Bridge Co. (DIBC), owns the Ambassador Bridge – currently the only bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Canada – and is seeking to build a new bridge, which Mr. Moroun would also own. To try and stop construction of the proposed public bridge, Mr. Moroun has ramped up campaign contributions and lobbying efforts.
“Mr. Moroun has pulled out all the stops to maintain his monopoly,” stated CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan. “Not content with relying on the same old, same old of lobbyists and campaign contributions, he’s trotted out new tricks such as funding the Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity, which distributed fake eviction notices to scare neighborhood residents into opposing the bridge.”
