A Saudi riyal is worth about a quarter. Do you know what one looks like? Take a closer look at what Kushner-in-law is counting and pocketing in the photo above. And some think Trump's big score isn't going come from deals in Russia but from solicited bribes (and deals) with the Saudis. In fact, one top Senate staffer told me last night that if Trump goes through with a sale of nuclear technology to the Saudis, it could be the last straw among some Republicans to give Pelosi the thumbs up to move forward with impeachment."If he goes forward with this without explicit backing from Israel," the staffer for a high profile senator told me, "he's going to set loose a chain reaction among Republicans that could lead right to impeachment. Pelosi knows how to count votes-- even Senate votes."Early Monday morning Erin Banco reported for the Daily Beast what many on Capitol Hill have been buzzing about for some time: Trump's push for a Saudi nuclear deal. "In 2017," wrote Banco, "Team Trump worked to clinch a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia-- and an independent investigative agency wants to know what happened behind closed doors."The Office of the Special Counsel-- not Mueller-- is investigating whether officials (whistleblowers) were retaliated against for raising concerns about Trump's nuclear deal with the Saudis. Banco: "As part of that investigation, OSC has also reviewed allegations about potentially improper dealings by senior members of the Trump administration in their attempt to map out a nuclear deal with Riyadh, according to two sources with knowledge of OSC’s work." Congress is also on the same track after Elijah Cummings issued a report outlining allegations about efforts inside the White House to rush the transfer of highly sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia-- a potential violation of the Atomic Energy Act and without review by Congress.
The Cummings report said IP3-- a firm that includes former top military officers, diplomats, and energy experts-- had developed a proposal for Saudi Arabia that was simply “a scheme for these generals to make some money.” That report said former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had ties to the firm during his time working in the Trump administration.Sources with direct knowledge of the IP3 plans today say the firm is focused on providing security for nuclear-related projects and in finding ways to compete with Russia and China to secure those projects throughout the Middle East.In the wake of the Cummings announcement, the Daily Beast reported that U.S. companies and officials in the administration were moving forward in their conversations with Riyadh about a nuclear deal and the transfer of nuclear technology.The Department of Energy then approved seven U.S. companies to conduct nuclear-related work in Saudi Arabia. (Federal law stipulates that companies obtain clearance from the U.S. government for exporting nuclear technology to or engaging in the production or development of special nuclear material in the kingdom.)That news has prompted intense questioning by lawmakers in hearings with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry.“One thing that is in our interest is to prevent Saudi Arabia from getting a nuclear weapon,” Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat, said. “What I’ve seen in this administration recently... is an effort to evade Congress and to some extent evade your department and provide substantial nuclear technology and aid to Saudi Arabia while [the country] refuses to abide by any of the controls we would like to see regarding reprocessing, enrichment.”A cohort of lawmakers is ready to reveal next week a new piece of legislation that would stop the Trump administration from bypassing Congress on the transfer of nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia.Congress is also increasingly concerned about Jared Kushner’s relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and his recent trip to Riyadh, especially because of the news that his security clearance was denied last year in part because of concerns about foreign influence. Engel is demanding a briefing from Pompeo on Kushner’s trip to Saudi Arabia last month that included a senior State Department official but otherwise left American diplomats in the dark.
Long Island Congressman Tom Suozzi isn't going for any of this talk about nuclear proliferation. "If the Saudis," he told me this morning, "can’t be trusted with a bone saw, they can’t be trusted with nuclear weapons. Regardless of any relationship this administration may think they currently enjoy with the Saudis, giving them nuclear technology is a bad idea in the short term and, especially over the long term."Ted Lieu (D-CA), a very active member of both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Judiciary Committee, isn't feeling any more sanguine and comfortable about this than Suozzi is. This morning he growled that "Trump wants to transfer nuclear technology to a regime that has committed war crimes, tortured activists and cut up a journalist with a bone saw. What could possibly go wrong?"
