The senior Democratic member of the House Oversight Committee has requested that the committee’s head issue a subpoena to probe the connections between Jared Kushner’s investment company and the governments of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, from Maryland, expressed unease about Kushner establishing Affinity Partners shortly after his departure from the White House where his father-in-law, ex-President Donald Trump, served. Within the Trump administration, Kushner, together with his spouse Ivanka Trump, had a significant influence on Middle East strategies.
Rep. Raskin, in a communication to Chairman James Comer, stated, “As Mr. Kushner moved from public office to the business realm, several diplomats and ethics professionals voiced apprehensions about the apparent potential conflicts linked to Mr. Kushner’s Gulf financial involvements.”
He added that Kushner’s successful liaisons with sovereign wealth funds evoked serious questions about legality, constitutionality, and ethics, especially given his crucial role in determining U.S. foreign policies under the Trump administration.
Previously, when the Democrats were the majority in the House, the Oversight Committee had initiated an inquiry into a $2 billion investment by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in Kushner’s business. This investment was made half a year post Kushner’s exit from public service.
Raskin complained that despite multiple efforts from the committee Democrats to access essential documents to comprehensively understand Kushner’s international business ventures and their associated issues, there has been no cooperation from Kushner or his company.
He alleged that Kushner’s firm was intentionally obstructive and pressed Comer to utilize his majority subpoena authority to support the Democrats in proceeding with their inquiry.
Raskin’s letter also hinted at his suspicion that Kushner might have exploited his role in the Trump administration for personal and familial financial gains. This includes advocating for the former president’s official trip to Saudi Arabia and internally supporting the Saudi Crown Prince when he faced accusations related to the death of a journalist based in the U.S.
In response, a representative for the House Oversight Republicans dismissed Raskin’s concerns when approached by Fox News Digital. They described Raskin’s letter as a diversion tactic from inquiries into the Biden family’s international business activities. The spokesperson added, “If Rep. Raskin was genuinely concerned about governmental ethics, he’d align with us in scrutinizing the apparent corruption linked to the Bidens. Yet, it seems Rep. Raskin is more intent on defending the Bidens.”
