Emails released under a Freedom of Information Act request show how one chemical company CEO was so pleased with the rules being set by the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal that he joked about making a "royalty payment" to U.S. government officials before bragging, "these rules are our rules."

400 pages of confidential emails between industry advisors and USTR officials were obtained by Intellectual Property Watch. The USTR (Office of the United States Trade Representative), is the U.S. government agency responsible for developing the United States' trade policy.

One of the emails was written by Jim DeLisi of Fanwood Chemical, a company that provides "technical marketing, direct sales, manufacturing and regulatory services" to the chemical industry.