A $25 BILLION Alaska natural gas project is being promoted as a cornerstone of American energy security. But behind the scenes, Russian financing has surfaced, and senior executives have walked away from the project. The New York Times reports that former Polar LNG CEO Joel Riddle discovered that Russian energy giant Novatek, which is under U.S. sanctions, had secretly helped finance the project through an Abu Dhabi intermediary. Novatek reportedly discussed providing up to $15 million and now says it is moving toward a minority stake in Polar LNG. Riddle and other senior executives have since left the company amid the financing dispute. Then there’s Gentry Beach, a businessman involved in efforts to bring Novatek’s technology to Alaska. He’s a college friend of Donald Trump Jr. Meanwhile, Trump temporarily waived Russia sanctions, and separate reporting has linked the Alaska project to discussions about sanctions relief for another Russian LNG project. So much for keeping American energy independent of Russian influence. The hypocrisy and criminality are staggering.