Trump seeks cut of Gordie Howe bridge tolls, raising questions about donor influence

The administration of President Donald Trump reportedly said Tuesday that the permit and agreement governing the Gordie Howe International Bridge between the U.S. and Canada needed to be renegotiated so a piece of the stateside tolls flow into American coffers.

There were also new questions about the wealthy Moroun family’s influence on Trump’s quixotic sudden fascination with the new bridge, aside from his ongoing trade war with Canada.

The New York Times reported Tuesday that the Moroun family was actively lobbying the Trump administration, including meeting with U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, just hours before the president went off on the bridge and used it as a new negotiating platform.

Trump on Monday threatened to block the opening of the newly-constructed bridge crossing between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, which was born out of an agreement between former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, former Democratic President Barack Obama and Canadian officials, each of whom saw an economic need for a new bridge crossing.

The existing bridge crossing between Detroit and Ontario is the Ambassador Bridge, owned by the family of the late Manuel “Matty” Moroun. His son, Matthew Moroun, has been a prolific donor to Republican causes and Trump’s campaigns. It was well documented, too, that the Moroun family has opposed the construction of the Gordie Howe bridge since its inception.

Democrats in Michigan called Trump’s posturing ludicrous on Tuesday, including U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) who raised questions on a virtual press call about how much Trump’s wealthy donors played a part in his decision to target the bridge as he seeks leverage in his trade spat.

Trump’s Republican allies in Michigan — particularly state House Speaker Matt Hall, U.S. Rep. John James and former congressman Mike Rogers, a candidate for the U.S. Senate — said they supported the president’s tactics in trying to get a better trade deal with Canada, especially as that nation makes movement toward China as a stronger partner than its once-friendly neighbor to the south.

The Detroit News reported Tuesday, however, that Trump’s White House may be aiming to get more than just leverage out of the bridge dustup than simply pulling Canada back into its trade orbit over China, and with more benefit to the U.S. end of trade benefits. The News said the White House has acknowledged that it wants a cut of the bridge’s toll fare.

The deal between Canada and the U.S. brokered in 2012 stated that the two nations would own an equal share of the bridge, but neither the Obama White House nor the Michigan Legislature wanted to fund the project. Canada did, and spent nearly $5 billion constructing it. The deal stated that Canada would be repaid through the tolls collected on the bridge over a 30-year span.

Trump’s White House told The News that the deal should be renegotiated with the U.S. getting more of an economic benefit from the bridge — aside from all of the free-flowing trade the bridge would already bring to the table once open.

On a press call organized by the Michigan Democratic Party, featuring its chair, Curtis Hertel, state Rep. Helena Scott of Detroit and Dingell, the congresswoman said she was in disbelief over Trump’s posturing.

“I worked very closely with our Republican Gov. Rick Snyder when the agreement was first put together with President Obama,” Dingell said. “So the fact that we’re even having this discussion instead of standing up for … I’m going to say this to the President right now … instead of standing up for American workers in our economy, you’re once again protecting the interests of your billionaire donor friends.”

Dingell went on to say that “there was somebody who’s been against this bridge from the very beginning,” a coded but fairly obvious swipe at the Moroun family. Dingell said people should be asking more questions about that.

Mike Rogers says Donald Trump’s Gordie Howe bridge threat is ‘the right thing to do’

In turn, Dingell was then asked if she was directly referring to the Moroun family, and she said yes.

“I want you all to remember that … they spent more than $30 million on a ballot proposal in 2012 to try to block this bridge,” Dingell said.

The Moroun family was mentioned by the White House, but not by name, when it told The News that a bridge already existed between Detroit and Ontario and that it was owned by “an American family.”

The Morouns did not respond to the News when they sought comment on Tuesday.

Dingell, in the press call, was also asked if this was par for the course as she saw it for the president — acting in a way that could be potentially destructive to a state where those actions could ultimately benefit his wealthy supporters and friends.

The congresswoman said she does not think Trump fully understands or grasps the implications of what he was doing on the bridge issue.

“It’s what he does frequently,” Dingell said. “Look, I’m someone who has said tariffs are a tool in the toolbox when we’re fighting China. I believe that there has been a lobbying effort to keep this bridge from opening, and from ever being built, from the moment that people worked to get it done. We’ve had real problems at this international crossing for more than a decade. I think there are billionaires that are doing things for their own interest, but I also think there are billionaires who are people that I respect and who still love this country.”

With the Times now reporting a direct connection, Dingell’s assessment appeared sharp as ever.