A Massachusetts state legislator emailing with a citizen concerned about new gas pipelines surreptitiously shared those emails with a lobbyist who runs a fossil-fuel front group advocating for more pipelines, according to the messages that HuffPost obtained. Howitt thanked the constituent, and the two exchanged follow-up emails about specific language in the bill. Ryan also consults for Enbridge on its Atlantic Bridge Project, another pipeline upgrade in the area. Many citizens in Howitt’s Bristol County district, in the southeastern part of the state, are concerned about the Algonquin Pipeline expansion, which would include a new compressor station. “I am appalled to learn that a lobbyist is overseeing conversations between an elected representative and a constituent,” she said.

Source: Huffington Post March 29, 2018 21:11 UTC