PGA Tour: Saudi governor dodging Congress amid LIV Golf deal, revealed

In a letter addressed to Saudi Public Funding Fund (PIF) Governor Yasir al-Rumayyan Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) insisted as soon as once more that al-Rumayyan testify earlier than the Senate’s Everlasting Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) at a mutually agreed upon date in September 2023.

Blumenthal chairs the PSI and has been working to uncover the behind-the-scenes negotiations that led to the PGA Tour’s take care of PIF.

Thursday’s letter comes a bit over two weeks after the Jul. 11 listening to, as PGA Tour Chief Operations Officer Ron Value and PGA Tour coverage board member Jimmy Dunne testified earlier than the PSI.

Notably absent from this listening to have been PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, and al-Rumayyan; all of whom have been invited to attend.

But, Monahan cited well being points, whereas Norman and al-Rumayyan had “scheduling conflicts.”

The letter comes after the PSI workers had a number of correspondences with the counsel representing the PIF.

However the letter reveals that the PIF seems disinterested in testifying earlier than members of america Senate.

“Throughout a telephone name between PSI workers and counsel for PIF [on Jul. 12], PSI workers expressed that the Subcommittee wish to work with PIF to discover a mutually acceptable date in your testimony,” the letter reads. “On July 7, 2023, PSI workers despatched PIF’s counsel an electronic mail inquiring about your availability to testify in late July or September.”

“PIF’s counsel replied on July 10 that PIF ‘could be happy to additional interact with the Subcommittee at a date and time that’s handy’ however didn’t in any other case specify when you can be obtainable,” the letter continues.

Picture by Drew Angerer/Getty Pictures

“PSI workers renewed the request for a selected date in your testimony in a July 12, 2023, electronic mail to PIF’s counsel. On July 24, 2023, PIF’s counsel once more declined to supply your availability for a listening to, whereas stating that ‘PIF wishes to be useful to the Subcommittee, and to work cooperatively with the Subcommittee.’”

Because the counsel representing the PIF declined to supply a selected timeline for a listening to, Blumenthal drafted this letter to al-Rumayyan himself, requesting his presence earlier than the PSI.

The letter continues to state that the PIF lacks transparency.

“The [PSI] requires further info to grasp PIF’s future function in American skilled golf and its plans for different investments in U.S.-based entities,” Blumenthal’s letter reads. “Given this want for added info, the Subcommittee renews its request in your in-person testimony on a mutually acceptable date in September 2023.”

Thus, Blumenthal has not solely requested the presence of al-Rumayyan but in addition a listing of all belongings held by the PIF in america.

Blumenthal requested a “detailed listing of any United States-based contractors, consultants, public relations corporations, strategic consultants, disaster consultants, lobbyists, or regulation corporations at the moment or beforehand employed by PIF, together with a short description of the scope and timeframe of their engagement with PIF.”

Thursday’s letter additionally asks the PIF to supply loads of different pertinent info, because the PSI appears to uncover most of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund’s monetary data, staff, and future ambitions.

Loads of particulars nonetheless must be ironed out, but it surely seems like al-Rumayyan must seem in Washington sooner or later within the close to future.

Every time that date is finalized, all eyes—together with these members of 9/11 Justice—might be squarely on this listening to.

Al-Rumayyan has till Aug. 4, 2023 to supply a mutually agreed-upon date for a listening to to Blumenthal and the PSI.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko for extra golf protection. Make sure to take a look at @_PlayingThrough too.