The construction company President Donald Trump is looking to hire to build parts of his proposed wall on the Southwest border has a history of being fined for environmental and tax violations, CNN reports.
Fisher Sand & Gravel, a family-owned company based in North Dakota, has made a strong bid for building the wall, arguing that it can work faster and cheaper than its competitors. It was chosen, along with a few other companies, to build prototypes of the wall in 2017, and already has begun working on barriers in New Mexico, working on private land and using private donations.
An unnamed government official told CNN that Trump frequently mentions Fisher Sand & Gravel in meetings with Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, the head of the Army Corps of Engineers.
CNN notes that the company has being in legal trouble several times, being fined more than $1 million for tax and environmental violations. About 10 years ago, one of the former co-owners, who is also the brother of the company’s current owner, pled guilty to tax fraud. In 2011, the company agreed to pay $150,000 in a settlement agreement after being sued for violating anti-discrimination laws involving allegations of sexual harassment.
When asked by CNN about its legal history, a spokesperson for the company said: "The questions you are asking have nothing to do with the excellent product and work that Fisher is proposing with regard to protecting America's southern border. The issues and situations in your email were resolved years ago. None of those matters are outstanding today."
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