$5,000 contribution made by Vining family supporting Navigator Carbon Capture Pipeline
“Who’s buying all those yard signs?” Woodbury Democrats want to know.
According to campaign finance reporting released Sunday May 19, 2024, Michelle Skaff received a campaign donation of $5,000 from Matt and Jessica Vining. The Vinings currently live in Bennington, Nebraska. Matt Vining is the CEO and co-founder of Navigator Energy Services. Navigator Energy Services has sought to utilize eminent domain to build a carbon capture pipeline across the state of Iowa.
Historically, it is uncommon for contributions of this nature in small, local elections, especially in primary races for county offices.
“We are disheartened to see out-of-state dark money coming into Woodbury County to try to buy an election,” said Ryan Akerberg, Woodbury County Democratic Communications Chair. “Navigator Energy is an out-of-state corporation attempting to pull the wool over voters’ eyes to support their business goals. Carbon capture pipelines have proven to be unpopular, even moreso when pipelines utilize eminent domain to seize private citizens property. For 28 years, Woodbury has benefitted from Pat Gill’s steadfast commitment to election integrity in Woodbury County. And if the Vinings think they can buy elected officials, in the county where they want to run their pipeline, for $5,000 - that would be a good investment But my money’s on Woodbury voters seeing through this underwritten land grab.
“Michelle might get plenty of yard signs for the Vining’s investment. But it’s up to Woodbury Voters to say ‘no’ to the pipeline land grab and ‘no’ to Ms. Skaff,” Akerberg stated.