Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, opened a probe into possible campaign finance violations by Donald Trump. The former president reportedly asked oil executives for $1 billion in campaign contributions in exchange for favorable tax and regulatory policies if he is reelected.
According to the Washington Post, Trump vowed to immediately reverse dozens of President Joe Biden’s environmental rules and policies during a second term. He described the request for $1 billion in fundraising as a “deal.”
Raskin described that as a quid pro quo proposition.
“[The 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,” Raskin said.
Raskin sent letters to nine oil industry CEOs, including the heads of Chevron, Exxon and the American Petroleum Institute, requesting any information they have regarding the meeting and Trump’s reported proposal.
“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 wrote.
According to the Post, Trump told the oil executives that his policies would open up new offshore drilling, speed permitting and relax regulations. He said those changes could lead to bigger profits.
That is a contrast to the Biden administration. According to the Post’s analysis, it overturned 27 Trump actions affecting the fossil fuel industry and completed 24 new actions.
