A Republican donor’s company was awarded a $400 million contract to build part of the border wall after its owner repeatedly went on Fox News to lobby President Trump, The Washington Post reports.
On Monday, Fisher Sand and Gravel was awarded a contract to build part of the wall along the Arizona border.
The contract came after months of pressure from Trump, who pressed the Army Corps of Engineers to award CEO Tommy Fisher the contract even though officials told him that the bids did not meet its standards.
Trump appears to have pushed for the contract because he was “enamored” by Fisher’s frequent Fox News appearances.
Fox News effort pays off:
The Post detailed Fisher’s many appearances on Fox News in May.
“The President, if he allows our team of Fisher Industries to play, I guarantee it, no different than Tom Brady: Once we get in, we never come out,” Fisher said in March. “And if we don’t perform, the President can fire us. That’s how comfortable and confident I am, is when people see what I really offer.”
After appearing on the network repeatedly, even host Sean Hannity was pushing his firm.
“I don’t know if you heard about this contractor that said he can build a whole wall for a lot cheaper than anybody else and get it done by 2020. Are you aware of that?” Hannity asked Trump during an April interview.
“Yes, we are dealing with him, actually,” Trump replied. “It’s Fisher, comes from North Dakota, recommended strongly by a great new senator as you know, Kevin Cramer. And they are real.”
Cramer told The Post that Trump is the one who “always brings them up.”
Cramer added that Trump liked Fisher because “he’s been very aggressive on TV.”
“You know who else watches Fox News?” he asked.
Company has long history of legal problems:
Fisher Sand and Gravel has been fined more than $1 million for environmental and tax violations, according to CNN.
Co-owner Michael Fisher was sentenced to 37 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to nine counts of felony tax fraud in 2009, the High Plains Reader reported.
Former company chief David William Fisher was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to child pornography charges in 2005.
