Archive - June 10, 2019

    Thanks for the ‘heads up’ from Dale Gilles (Liberia 1964-66) • Grants for projects favored by McConnell raise ethical questions for Elaine Chao   BY CHRIS MILLS RODRIGO From The Hill Paper,6/10/19   Secretary Elaine Chao‘s Department of Transportation (DOT) designated a special liaison for grant applications in Kentucky, the home state of her husband, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), Politico reported Monday, facilitating awards totaling at least $78 million for projects favored by the GOP lawmaker. The liaison, Todd Inman, reportedly stated in an email to McConnell’s office that Chao had personally asked him to serve as an intermediary who could assist the senator and local Kentucky officials on grants with special significance to McConnell. Those grants included a highway-improvement project in a McConnell political stronghold that had been rejected twice previously, according to Politico. Beginning in April 2017, Inman and Chao reportedly met annually with local officials from Owensboro, Ky., and discussed two projects of special importance: a plan . . .