Biden’s golden boy, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has found himself at the center of a developing scandal.
An exclusive report done by the Dailymail found that the former South Bend mayor received a total of $253,750 in donations from 23 different companies. Those top political donors were then awarded millions of dollars in city contracts.
It was also reported that on two occasions, Buttigieg received donations on the same day the companies were awarded contracts.
From the Dailymail:
The companies, their executives and spouses donated a total $253,750 to Buttigieg’s campaigns, and received a total of at least $33,310,426 in city contracts between 2011 and 2019.
After Buttigieg appointed one former company executive to the city’s Public Works department, the firm was then handed multiple infrastructure jobs and became one of Mayor Pete’s largest donors.
Buttigieg served as the mayor of South Bend from 2012 to 2020. He was appointed transportation secretary by President Joe Biden early last year.
Government watchdogs say the pattern of donations and contracts could present the appearance of a “pay to play” scandal – and raises concerns over the $210billion earmarked in the bipartisan infrastructure bill for Buttigieg to dish out in discretionary grants as transport secretary, part of a $1.2trillion budget.
“This is alarming, and very concerning, because this is the swamp personified. You don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar to look at this and think that something’s wrong here,” said Taxpayers Protection Alliance President David Williams.
“The pattern of contracts and donations appears to be a huge conflict of interest. Was there a quid pro quo? Was there some sort of backroom deal for these projects? taxpayers deserve answers,” Williams added.
The city of South Bend has claimed that Buttigieg “was not involved in the awarding of engineering and construction contracts and that all contracts are awarded ‘through. professional procurement process that is public and transparent.'”
Another day another Democrat scandal.
