In New Bicameral Letters, Democrats Demand Big Oil Executives Comply with Investigation Into Trump’s Attempt to Sell Official Actions for $1 Billion
After Companies Do Not Dispute Public Reporting that Trump Sought Contributions in Exchange for Official Actions, and Oil Company Donates $1 Million to Trump Super PAC, Lawmakers Press for Answers
Today, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee; Sen. Ron Wyden, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee; and Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability sent new letters to top oil and gas executives demanding compliance with the Committees’ original requests for information regarding quid pro quo solicitations made by former President Donald Trump. Mr. Trump offered to sign Executive Orders and take other official actions to benefit oil and gas companies in exchange for $1 billion in political contributions to his presidential campaign.
“We write to request improvement of your woefully inadequate response to our May 13 and 23, 2024 letters about the April 11, 2024 fundraising event at which former President Donald Trump reportedly laid out a proposed quid pro quo: in exchange for $1 billion in campaign cash from oil and gas executives, he would agree to implement specific regulatory and tax measures supported by the oil and gas industry, if reelected,” wrote the lawmakers. “Not only was your response to our inquiries insufficient, tellingly, none of the responses we have received to date refute the accuracy of the reporting, renewing our concern that Donald Trump is actively seeking to sell out American energy policy to the highest bidder.”
“In the weeks since our initial letters, the behavior of Donald Trump and the oil and gas industry has added to evidence of possible misconduct,” continued the lawmakers. “Campaign finance records show that following Trump’s quid pro quo solicitation, at least one company made a significant contribution in support of Trump’s presidential run. Specifically, on April 29, 2024, Continental Resources Inc. contributed $1 million to Make America Great Again, Inc.—a super PAC dedicated to Trump’s reelection. Continental’s CEO, Harold Hamm, who is also an informal adviser to Trump, has reportedly given $1.6 million to aid Trump’s reelection so far this year, and he has raised millions more from independent oil producers operating in Texas and Alaska.”
“For all these reasons, we renew our requests for information and look forward to further engagement with you on this topic,” concluded the lawmakers.
On May 9, 2024, The Washington Post reported that former President Donald Trump held a 20-person “Energy Round Table” with top oil and gas executives at his Mar-a-Lago Club on April 11, 2024, a fact that was also confirmed in Venture Global’s response to the lawmakers’ investigations. According to the reporting, the former President sought $1 billion in campaign contributions from the industry executives in exchange for an explicit promise that, if reelected, his Administration would roll back environmental regulations and pursue other policies favorable to the oil and gas industry. Mr. Trump reportedly pledged to take specific official actions to end the freeze on permits for new liquefied natural gas exports, start auctioning off more leases for oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, and rescind rules that reduce emissions from cars.
Additional reporting by Politico revealed that the oil and gas industry was drafting “ready-to-sign” executive orders for a possible second Trump administration.
Since the lawmakers’ original requests, The Washington Post reported that Occidental’s CEO complained to Mr. Trump at a separate fundraiser about the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) scrutiny of their industry’s mergers and acquisitions. Former President Trump assured the executive that, if reelected, he would influence the FTC to give favorable treatment to Big Oil.
According to campaign finance records, soon after former President Trump made his solicitation, Continental Resources donated $1 million to Make America Great, Inc., a super PAC supporting his reelection effort. In addition, reporting from The Washington Post shows billionaire founder of Continental Resources Harold Hamm encouraged other Big Oil executives to attend fundraisers and contribute to the Trump campaign.
In their responses to Democrats’ May 13 and May 23, 2024 letters, oil and gas executives did not refute the accuracy of these reports, and they provided inaccurate claims and immaterial excuses for not fully cooperating with multiple Committees’ investigations.
“The Committees’ investigation is entirely consistent with the First Amendment and with Congress’s duty to investigate and protect against the corruption of our political processes and democracy. As courts have repeatedly affirmed, the First Amendment does not excuse companies from producing records in response to congressional requests,” wrote the lawmakers. “It is a novel and unsupported theory of ‘privilege’ to constrain investigative and oversight authority when the subject is a matter of public debate, legislative lobbying, or political influencing. Such a theory would eviscerate Congressional investigative and oversight authority to meaninglessness.”
“Furthermore,” the lawmakers wrote, “it is well-established that the First Amendment does not protect bribery, extortion, racketeering and the sale of legislation and public policy. Free speech does not comprehend the quid pro quo exchange of money for public policy favors. Congress thus clearly has the right to investigate and regulate the cold-cash commodification of government process.”
Click here to read the letter to Chevron.
Click here to read the letter to ExxonMobil.
Click here to read the letter to Continental Resources.
Click here to read the letter to Chesapeake Energy.
Click here to read the letter to Occidental Petroleum.
Click here to read the letter to Venture Global LNG.
Click here to read the letter to Cheniere Energy.
Click here to read the letter to EQT Corporation.
Click here to read the letter to American Petroleum Institute.
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