The Globe & Mail reported that a company controlled by a Canadian steel billionaire Mr Barry Zekelman, involved in illegal donations to former US President Mr Donald Trump campaign group, received at least USD 58-million in contracts to help build the former president’s wall along the US border with Mexico. Mr Zekelman’s corporate empire and family, including his wife and brother, also made at least USD 2.6-million in contributions to American politicians and political campaigns over decades. On one occasion, Mr Zekelman personally wrote a cheque to an American senator.A Globe and Mail review of US government campaign finance databases and contracting documents has shed new light on the political involvement of Mr Zekelman and his US businesses. That involvement, the review revealed, goes well beyond the Trump donations that landed him in hot water with American regulators earlier this spring. According to federal government records, Zekelman owned company Atlas Tube received two contracts to supply steel for the border wall in Arizona, The first contract dated 23 September 2019 was for USD 52.6 million & the second dated 14 January 2020 was worth USD 5.9 million. In both cases, Atlas supplied steel tubing and other materials to Southwest Valley Constructors Co, which was in charge of building a section of the wall south of Tucson.In April, the US Federal Election Commission fined Wheatland Tube, a Zekelman-controlled company, for giving USD 1.75-million to Super PAC America First Action. The FEC found that these donations were illegal because Mr Zekelman helped orchestrate them. Under American law, foreign nationals who do not hold US citizenship or a green card are prohibited from making or participating in political contributions. Mr Zekelman backed Mr Trump’s protectionist trade policies, including the president’s imposition of steel tariffs on Canada. He lobbied Mr Trump to slap import quotas on other countries, which would disadvantage Mr Zekelman’s non-US competitors.
The Globe & Mail reported that a company controlled by a Canadian steel billionaire Mr Barry Zekelman, involved in illegal donations to former US President Mr Donald Trump campaign group, received at least USD 58-million in contracts to help build the former president’s wall along the US border with Mexico. Mr Zekelman’s corporate empire and family, including his wife and brother, also made at least USD 2.6-million in contributions to American politicians and political campaigns over decades. On one occasion, Mr Zekelman personally wrote a cheque to an American senator.A Globe and Mail review of US government campaign finance databases and contracting documents has shed new light on the political involvement of Mr Zekelman and his US businesses. That involvement, the review revealed, goes well beyond the Trump donations that landed him in hot water with American regulators earlier this spring. According to federal government records, Zekelman owned company Atlas Tube received two contracts to supply steel for the border wall in Arizona, The first contract dated 23 September 2019 was for USD 52.6 million & the second dated 14 January 2020 was worth USD 5.9 million. In both cases, Atlas supplied steel tubing and other materials to Southwest Valley Constructors Co, which was in charge of building a section of the wall south of Tucson.In April, the US Federal Election Commission fined Wheatland Tube, a Zekelman-controlled company, for giving USD 1.75-million to Super PAC America First Action. The FEC found that these donations were illegal because Mr Zekelman helped orchestrate them. Under American law, foreign nationals who do not hold US citizenship or a green card are prohibited from making or participating in political contributions. Mr Zekelman backed Mr Trump’s protectionist trade policies, including the president’s imposition of steel tariffs on Canada. He lobbied Mr Trump to slap import quotas on other countries, which would disadvantage Mr Zekelman’s non-US competitors.
