Corruption Allegations Surround North Carolina Senate Candidate Roy Cooper
A recent review of Roy Cooper’s time as Governor of North Carolina suggests a troubling pattern of scandals indicative of corruption.
At the start of his governorship, Cooper reportedly pressured energy companies to establish a $57.8 million fund while his administration delayed a crucial pipeline permit. Investigative testimony characterized this as “an abuse of power,” noting that top aides altered an agreement that would have placed control of the funds with Cooper rather than the state.
According to a lobbyist from Duke Energy, Cooper’s senior policy adviser, Ken Eudy, provided misleading statements during legislative inquiries into these actions. Investigators indicated that it seemed Cooper leveraged his influence over the ACP developers for the creation of this fund to facilitate the environmental permit. The findings pointed to possible criminal misconduct.
There are also concerns surrounding a deal that appears to have benefitted solar farms owned by Cooper and his family, reportedly potentially yielding over $1 million for them. A report from WBTV highlighted that text messages, emails, and memos revealed that Cooper’s team had utilized the pipeline permit as a bargaining chip with Duke Energy to secure concessions for North Carolina’s solar sector.
While Cooper insisted that the negotiations about the pipeline and Duke’s solar initiatives were unrelated, evidence presented by WBTV contradicted this claim.
Additionally, Cooper is accused of using his office to favor family and associates of a significant political donor with key appointments. This donor was allegedly involved with a group that profited by providing access to Cooper and his administration.
In another development, Cooper is connected with a green energy firm currently facing a staggering $1.1 billion penalty, which regulators have dubbed a massive fraud.
Reports indicate that the family associated with this company has contributed over $886,000 to North Carolina Democrats, including $72,850 to Cooper himself. This family includes a serving state senator and a prominent benefactor whom Cooper appointed to a significant housing board.
Cooper has made multiple executive decisions promoting clean energy, such as instituting the NC Clean Energy Plan, which targets net-zero carbon emissions and facilitates zero-emission transportation. Critics argue these initiatives may have been designed to benefit companies like the one linked to the aforementioned scandal.
In terms of accountability, Cooper allegedly compelled Bob Schurmeier, the former Director of the State Bureau of Investigation, to resign amidst threats of a racial discrimination investigation. Schurmeier described feeling intimidated during meetings where Cooper’s staff allegedly pressured him regarding sensitive SBI matters and his recruitment decisions.
As Cooper moves closer to a Senate run, the competition with Republican Michael Whatley seems to be tightening. Recently, GOP-aligned organizations outspent their Democratic counterparts for the first time this election cycle.
