Lining one's pockets

Try as I can, politics, under the aegis of Trump, keeps interfering with BRT's original role of discussing the impact of science and technology on civilization san politics yet, in a strange and ominous way, that mission still rings true when tech is being misused in order to line the pockets of the players involved no matter what the cost may be. To whit:

On Jan. 25, President Donald Trump's team listed the Atlantic Coast pipeline among the White House's top priorities for infrastructure projects, an attempt to deliver on his campaign promise to invest in U.S infrastructure programs.

Of the 50 on the list, Atlantic Coast is surprisingly the only pipeline project named. Some had suspected Trump's infrastructure promise would serve as a massive pipeline giveaway. So, why prioritize this one?

A possible answer: Several members of Trump's transition team, landing team and current White House operation have connections to companies behind the project or to firms lobbying for it.

The Swamp beckons.

Trump Beneficiaries

DeSmog research has revealed that a few Trump associates could benefit financially if this prioritized pipeline opens for business.

One is Dan DiMicco, who served as a senior economic adviser to Trump's campaign and led the new administration's U.S.Trade Representative transition team. He also sits on the Board of Directors of Duke Energy, one of the pipeline project co-owners.

DiMicco, the former CEO of steel giant Nucor, met with Trump in Trump Tower in mid-December, when he was considering DiMicco for the position of U.S. Trade Representative. Eventually, former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer got the job.

Another tie can be seen between Trump presidential campaign adviser, U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) and his former chief-of-staff Pepper Natonski. Since at least January 2016, Natonski has been lobbying on behalf of Duke and its stake in "natural gas utilities regarding pipeline safety legislation and any regulatory regime affecting natural gas utilities" and serves as director of Federal Affairs for the company, according to Politico Influence.

What's the betting pool that Trump benefits as well?