House Democrats furious over reports of Donald Trump’s apparent offer to oil executives over a Mar-a-Lago dinner last month—that if they raised $1 billion for his campaign, he would slash environmental regulation once back in office—have launched an investigation.
First reported by The Washington Post, sources said Trump’s dinner saw the former president offer a “deal” if the $1 billion fundraising goal was met. According to one attendee, Trump promised the roughly two dozen bosses to ditch President Joe Biden’s freeze on permits for new liquefied gas exports, adding, “You’ll get it on the first day.” Also on the menu: leases for oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and the reversal of restrictions on drilling in the Alaskan Arctic. “You’ve been waiting on a permit for five years; you’ll get it on Day 1,” Trump reportedly added.
A letter by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on Monday night was sent to nine executives, it confirmed in a Tuesday statement. CEOs at Cheniere Energy, Chesapeake Energy, Chevron, Continental Resources, EQT Corporation, ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum and Venture Global, all received one. The head of the American Petroleum Institute was also on the list.
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In the letters, such as one addressed to Michael K. Wirth, chairman of the board and CEO of Chevron, top Democratic Maryland congressman Jamie Raskin requested more details of the meeting, a list of attendees at the event, any documents or materials shared by attendees and “a description of all policy proposals discussed at the event,” among others.
“Media reports raise significant potential ethical, campaign finance, and legal issues that would flow from the effective sale of American energy and regulatory policy to commercial interests in return for large campaign contributions,” reads the letter, signed by Raskin.
“These reports of a solicitation of payments in exchange for an explicit promise of specific future official actions are both highly credible and consistent with past behavior.”
Raskin also highlighted a Politico story which alleged via unidentified energy executives that the oil industry is “drawing up ready-to-sign executive orders for Donald Trump.”
“Mr. Trump’s unvarnished quid pro quo offer is especially troubling evidence in light of recent accounts that the ‘U.S. oil industry is drawing up ready-to-sign executive orders for Donald Trump aimed at pushing natural gas exports, cutting drilling costs and increasing offshore oil leases in case he wins a second term,’” Raskin said.
“These preparatory actions suggest that certain oil and gas companies, which have a track record of using deceitful tactics to undermine effective climate policy may have already accepted or facilitated Mr. Trump’s explicit corrupt bargain,” ranking member Raskin added.
Speaking to the Post, Andrea Woods, a spokeswoman for the American Petroleum Institute, said in an email: “The premise of Mr. Raskin’s letter is patently false and an attempt to distract from a needed debate about America’s future—one that requires more energy, including more oil and natural gas. As the leading voice for America’s energy workforce, API regularly meets with policymakers and candidates and shares our priorities.”
Meanwhile, a Venture Global spokeswoman said: “Venture Global regularly engages with government officials—both past and present—on a bipartisan basis and this meeting was no different. We would welcome a similar conversation with President Biden at any time.”
Yet despite the letter, with Republicans in control of the House, there is little Democrats on the Oversight Committee can do, except hope the oil companies will comply. Without those companies offering the information, the Democrats will not have enough power to subpoena them.
Experts told the Post that despite claims by Democrats that Trump may have broken campaign rules with the offer, it is unlikely that he did.
