Food & Water Watch is suing Trump to stop the illegal corporate giveaway of America's water systems, roads, and bridges

Food & Water Watch is suing Donald Trump.

In January, Trump formed an illegal "Infrastructure Council" — a.k.a. a massive corporate giveaway and attempt to sell American water systems, bridges and roads to the highest bidder. And *surprise* the Council's co-chairs (and real estate developers) Richard LeFrak and Steve Roth both stand to profit significantly off the deals they’re crafting. It's not only wrong — it's illegal.

We won't let Trump and his Wall Street friends sell off our public infrastructure for profit.

Our nation desperately needs federal investments in infrastructure. The lack of investment in our public water systems over the decades has led to unaffordable water service rates, and in some places, to water that’s unsafe to drink or bathe with. I've seen too many families over the years worry about whether the water coming out of their tap is safe to give to their child. People deserve better than this.

Yet Trump wants to take advantage of this need to spin deals for his buddies on Wall Street.

For years, Food & Water Watch has partnered with communities to lift up the voices of those impacted by our crumbling infrastructure and demand real solutions. Communities deserve a right to have a say in how their infrastructure is maintained – and to know if Trump is making his friends even richer by building it.

We believe that President Trump’s "Infrastructure Council" has operated in violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act ever since he created it in January 2017. We're suing Trump to void all actions taken by his “Infrastructure Council” and to compel the Administration to disclose the role its financially conflicted co-chairs have played in shaping the President’s infrastructure policy.

The answer to our problems is NOT to sell off our roads, bridges and water systems to the highest bidder.

Done the right way, we can rebuild our crumbling infrastructure while spurring economic growth in rural areas, creating good-paying jobs in major cities, and ensuring that every American has access to paved roads, safe schools and clean water. 

Food & Water Watch is proud to stand with communities across the country who are being impacted by decisions made in back-room deals. We don't take any corporate or government funding in order to stay uncompromised — a position that allows us to hold elected officials like Donald Trump accountable.

- Wenonah Hauter
Food & Water Watch


Lawsuit: Food & Water Watch v. Donald Trump, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Commerce, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, filed July 25, 2017.

Lawsuit Challenges Secrecy of White House Advisers on Infrastructure, New York Times, July 25, 2017.

Republican plan unfolds

President Donald J. Trump kicks off "Made in America" week with this speech, "You're gonna see a lot of things happening over the next few months. You know, statutorily and through a lot of different legal..through the legal process... You're not allowed to do it....We're also gonna get rid of a lot of that process for the future."

I have been following as the Republican Party's plan unfolds. Our members of Congress are taking steps and passing bills to allow Trump to break the regulations we have that protect: our public lands and waterways, our health, and the American worker. They are already setting in motion a plan to take away our basic American rights such as: a free internet, a freedom of the press, freedom of speech, innocent until proven guilty, and separation of church and state. They are dismantling any programs that help working Americans or the less fortunate.

What we will be seeing is more privatizing of our infrastructural. Our roads and bridges will all have indefinite tolls. Imagine greedy corporations like Nestle doling out our water! He is currently giving them free reign to mine, drill or frack on our public lands - even our beloved national parks and monuments! That is a giveaway to the richest people in the world. But that's not enough. Trump is giving them trillions of dollars in tax cuts. A handful of rich families will own everything! And his family will be one of them. They already own most of our representatives. With even more money, they will own everything. They will own US.

Everything I've written is based on what is happening daily in the Trump administration and in Congress. If you don't believe me, please, follow them yourself (while we still can!) We have got to stay diligent and not let the rich own our nation and take away the freedoms we cherish as Americans.