The Michigan Truth Squad, a Lansing-based fact-check group, has given a “foul” to Matty Moroun for a misleading TV ad campaign touting the advantages of building a second span to his Ambassador Bridge.
Moroun reportedly poured $400,000 into the ads and also his bridge company has become well-known in Lansing for its intense lobbying and the hundreds of thousands of dollars of campaign contributions it handed out in the last election cycle. Moroun’s target is the U.S.-Canadian plan to build a government-funded bridge further downriver.
The Truth Squad found that the ads exaggerate the decline in cross-border bridge traffic and fail to acknowledge the uptick in Ambassador Bridge crossings as Michigan’s economy slowly recovers from the Great Recession. Moroun’s son, Matthew, made similar claims in February when he appeared before a large gathering of business and government leaders in Clinton Township.
The Moroun family’s sales pitch also claims, without proof, that the New International Trade Crossing will cost taxpayers $100 million. They also fail to mention that the long list of supporters of the new bridge includes the Canadian government, Gov. Rick Snyder, several former Michigan governors, the Big Three automakers, and numerous chambers of commerce and business groups.
The Truth Squad suggests that the $100 million figure is a scare tactic. Here’s the conclusion:
:Major public works projects do have a history of unforeseen construction problems and large cost overruns. But it’s hard to understand why Snyder and the Canadian government would risk their credibility by insisting the bridge won’t cost Michigan taxpayers a penny.”
