House Democrats are investigating President Trump’s request for $1 billion in campaign money from major oil companies.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) wrote a letter to the CEOs of eight energy companies and an oil lobby group who reportedly attended a dinner at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort with the former president at last month.
Media outlets, including The Hill, reported that at the dinner, Trump asked the industry to raise $1 billion to support his presidential campaign.
O Washington Postwho shared the story first, reported that getting him the funds would be a “deal” because of all the money the industry would save in taxes and regulations avoided under his presidency
A source told The Hill that the discussion was not framed as any kind of tit-for-tat deal.
But in his letters to energy executives, Raskin — the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee — described the incident as a “bare trade offer.”
In the light of a separate Political In the report that said the oil industry was drafting executive orders for the former president to sign, Raskin also wrote that the companies “may have already accepted or facilitated Mr.
As the minority party in the House, Democrats’ investigative powers are limited. However, the Maryland lawmaker requested that the companies provide him with information, including any discussions related to campaign contributions at the dinner and any political documentation the companies had prepared and intended to share with Trump.
A spokesperson for the American Petroleum Institute, the oil and gas lobbying group, did not say whether it would provide information to the committee, but noted that the organization meets with candidates “from across the political spectrum on issues important to our industry.”
A Venture Global spokesperson similarly said the company engages with bipartisan officials and “would welcome a similar conversation with President Biden at any time.”
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
