Top Gov. Cooper aides taking questions over pipeline deal

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — Roy Cooper’s top aides are taking questions from investigators the General Assembly hired to scrutinize a 2018 side deal between the Democratic governor’s office and utilities building the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

Deputy Chief of Staff Julia White and adviser Ken Eudy appeared at Friday’s legislative subcommittee.

Panel Republican leaders want to know more about a memorandum of understanding in which pipeline builders agreed to give $58 million for a special fund for environmental mitigation and other projects. Private investigators have been collecting information.

Cooper and his office have said the side agreement wasn’t a prerequisite for the companies obtaining a key state regulatory permit. Four state regulators have signed statements saying they knew nothing about the memorandum or its contents before it was announced.