The House oversight and reform committee announced on Thursday that it is launching an investigation into whether former senior White House adviser Jared Kushner improperly used his position to secure an investment for his private equity firm from the Saudi government.
“PIF is led by the Crown Prince, with whom Mr. Kushner developed a very close relationship while a senior adviser to former President Trump,” lawmakers said.
“Affinity’s public filings indicate that PIF’s investment will generate $25 million in annual asset management fees for Affinity, in addition to a share of any profits made—representing a substantial windfall for Mr. Kushner, Affinity’s sole owner.”
In her letter to Kushner, Maloney said the committee is investigating whether Kushner “improperly traded” on his government position to “obtain billions of dollars from the Saudi government” and whether his personal financial interests “improperly influenced U.S. foreign policy” during Trump’s administration.
“This investigation will inform the Committee about whether federal ethics laws should be strengthened to prevent senior public officials from taking advantage of their position within the federal government to reap a financial windfall—before, during, or after government employment,” Chairwoman Maloney wrote.
The committee has also requested that Kushner supply the panel with documents, including personal communications and records, relating to the investment by June 16, 2022.
“Your support for Saudi interests was unwavering, even as Congress and the rest of the world closely scrutinized the country’s human rights abuses in Yemen, the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi assassins tied to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Saudi Arabia’s crackdown on political dissidents at home,” wrote Maloney.
Maloney added that the committee is “concerned” by the investment that came “immediately following your significant involvement in shaping U.S.-Saudi relations.”
“Your close relationship with Crown Prince bin Salman, your pro-Saudi positions during the Trump Administration, and PIF’s decision to fund the lion’s share of your new business venture—only six months after the end of your White House tenure—create the appearance of a quid pro quo for your foreign policy work during the Trump Administration,” the committee Chairwoman wrote.
The committee in 2019 published two reports regarding Kushner’s efforts to secure a project to share nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia, despite concerns of senior U.S. national security leaders.
If successful, that project would have “benefitted an asset management firm, Brookfield Asset Management, which subsequently bailed out a troubled property owned by Mr. Kushner’s family’s real estate business, Kushner Companies,” according to the committee.
In 2021, Saudi executed 67 individuals, while in 2020, it executed 27.
Saudi denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.
The spokesman added that the former senior White House adviser is “proud to be among many private sector stakeholders advancing connectivity between Americans, Israelis, and Arabs to encourage continued regional progress.”
The Epoch Times has contacted Jared Kushner and the Saudi Public Investment Fund for comment.
