New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy made money investing in oil, gas, and other energy companies whose activities he now claims to oppose.
Murphy invested in the member companies of the PennEast Pipeline project to build a pipe carrying natural gas from Pennsylvania to Mercer County, N.J., NorthJersey.com reported Monday, citing his financial disclosure forms.
Murphy, the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, has touted himself as the most environmentally friendly candidate in the race. He and other Democratic candidates say they oppose the PennEast project, along with environmental groups.
During a Democratic debate last week, Murphy's opponents accused him of being a hypocrite for his investments. They also castigated him for giving a 2013 speech in Germany in which he praised hydraulic fracturing, better known as "fracking," which most environmental groups strongly oppose.
According to critics, Murphy has not provided a satisfactory answer to explain his investments in companies involved in the pipeline project.
Fellow Democratic candidate Jim Johnson, who criticized Murphy's environmentalist credentials at last week's debate, invests in many of the same companies that Murphy does, including ConocoPhillips, CSX, DTE, and Duke Energy.
So far, environmental groups that have been supporting Murphy appear to be sticking with him despite the new revelations.