During the first Trump administration, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao made headlines for appearing to give preferential treatment to Kentucky officials for millions of dollars in infrastructure grants. Lobbyist disclosure reports show that Miller lobbied the Transportation Department in 2025 on behalf of at least nine companies, one New York county and one Native American tribe. Archer was among the companies selected to participate, according to the Transportation Department. In an interview, he said he read a news article about Alfonso’s campaign and decided to donate. The giant car manufacturer also gave to Duffy when he was running for the congressional seat, and the transportation secretary has become a booster.

Source: Huffington Post March 18, 2026 22:01 UTC