Most notably, Oxendine Molliver said the following as she contrasted her new position with her role as a mother: “The Line 3 replacement project is an awful project to be in the middle of as a mother who doesn’t want to be dependent on oil — as someone who believes in sovereignty rights, as someone who believes in the importance of water and spirituality and how it is not a commodity.”

From that statement, Oxendine Molliver went on in her address to advocate for Commerce’s development of the final EIS, which would draw input from the tribes and others. She also encouraged the state’s tribes to feel as if they could work together with the department. Both she and a colleague described the Draft EIS as a work in progress that could be influenced by the tribes.

But the damage to Oxendine Molliver’s credibility as an impartial liaison appeared to be done.

Following the meeting, Oxendine Molliver said, Enbridge contacted Gov. Mark Dayton’s office, which she said, in turn, contacted Commerce. She alleges the scope of her role changed from that point forward until her resignation. Suddenly, she said, it was a lot more “stay at your desk and copy edit.”

“It was to get them from point A to point B with as little resistance as possible,” she said.