Oil and gas and private donors paid for initiatives in Hickenlooper’s administration, investigation finds

The Colorado Sun: Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper accepted millions of dollars from corporations and nonprofits to fund initiatives and positions in his office — an arrangement that came with limited oversight and public disclosure despite the potential conflicts of interest.

The most significant corporate donations came from the oil and gas industry, where Anadarko Petroleum and Noble Energy gave at least $325,000 to Hickenlooper’s office in his second term alone, according to a months-long analysis of state records conducted by The Colorado Sun and CBS4 Denver. At least one donation from Anadarko came in May 2017, weeks after the deadly Firestone explosion that investigators traced back to a well owned by the company.

The companies sponsored the internship program in the governor’s office and initiatives related to veterans and childhood literacy, according to records and interviews. Other significant donations came from private foundations and nonprofits that funded efforts to address health care, homelessness and more. And the donors behind some contributions are listed as anonymous.

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