Posts

Posted on

House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Meeks, Huffman Demand Answers on Trump Admin Using U.S. Embassies to Pressure Foreign Companies for Cash Tied to Presidential Access

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) and House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding documents and communications related to reports that some U.S. ambassadors are pressuring foreign companies for million-dollar donations tied to a Trump-aligned fundraising operation that sells access to the President.

The letter targets a sprawling solicitation effort run out of American embassies in Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, where diplomats have leaned on foreign executives to bankroll events branded with the logo of Freedom 250. Huffman and Meeks write that the administration has used the group to “aggressively solicit private donations, offering donors who contribute $1 million or more preferred access to the President, VIP seating, photo opportunities, and public speaking roles tied to official White House activities.”

Reports show U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass wrote directly to prospective donors seeking “significant financial support” for Mission Japan’s America 250 celebrations, with roughly $35 million raised from Japanese companies. The U.S. consulate in Hong Kong has handed companies formal solicitation forms. And on February 5, 2026, U.S. Ambassador to Singapore Anjani Sinha hosted a dinner at the Capella Singapore where he told executives, “I need your money,” with the Freedom 250 logo displayed on screens around the room. Sinha himself gave $1 million to a Trump-backed super PAC before his appointment.

In their letter, Huffman and Meeks write that the solicitation of large foreign donations tied to presidential access “represents a significant departure from historical norms and raises profound questions about whether foreign nationals and companies are being offered inappropriate influence over U.S. government activities in exchange for cash payments for America’s 250th celebration.”

The Members are requesting all documents and communications related to fundraising by U.S. diplomatic missions in Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore since January 20, 2025; State Department guidance to diplomatic missions on America 250 and Freedom 250 fundraising; communications between State, the National Park Foundation, Freedom 250, and the White House over use of the Freedom 250 name and branding; ethics guidance sought or provided on foreign solicitations; and records of any benefits or access offered to foreign donors.

Huffman and Meeks closed: “The degree to which State Department personnel, resources, and the prestige of official diplomatic positions have been mobilized in service of a politically motivated and partisan fundraising enterprise demands transparency. […] The American people deserve to know whether their diplomatic representatives abroad are being used to advance a pay-to-play fundraising scheme tied to access to the President of the United States, and whether foreign money is flowing into activities that blur the line between official government functions and personal political benefit.”

Read the full letter HERE.

Posted on

Dingell Secures More Than $67 Million in Healthcare Funding for the University of Michigan

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Today, U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) announced she secured $67,881,860 in federal grant funding for the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor to support a wide range of research initiatives, including aging, nursing, neurological disorders, cancer, and more. The funding comes from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and was made possible by Congresswoman Dingell’s advocacy. 

“This funding will bolster the University of Michigan’s leadership in research and innovation,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “These federal grants are a powerful investment in the health, safety, and well-being of our communities, and I am proud to have secured this money. I will never stop working to deliver federal resources to Michigan that secure better treatments and improve patient outcomes.”

Projects receiving funding include:

  • $3,058,812 for Aging Research
  • $2,967,624 for Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research
  • $2,344,128 for Arthritis Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research
  • $3,849,172 for Biomedical Research and Research Training
  • $766,516 for Blood Diseases and Resources Research
  • $7,480,932 for Cancer Research
  • $3,072,192 for Cardiovascular Diseases Research
  • $1,068,440 for Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research
  • $2,726,248 for Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs
  • $1,615,760 for Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs
  • $20,478,352 for Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders
  • $1,543,072 for H76 – Ryan White Title III Outpatient EIS Program
  • $5,264,800 for H80 – Health Center Program
  • $2,683,360 for Lung Diseases Research
  • $1,560,000 for Mental Health Research Grants
  • $592,340 for Research Infrastructure Programs
  • $1,868,588 for Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders
  • $4,941,524 for Vision Research

A full list of projects receiving grant funding can be found HERE.

HHS is the largest grant-making agency in the United States. Most HHS grants are provided directly to states, territories, tribes, and educational and community organizations, then distributed to eligible individuals and organizations. For more information on HHS grants, click HERE.

Posted on

Reps. Lofgren, Mullin, Rivas, Whitesides Conduct Unannounced Oversight Visit to ICE Facility

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

WASHINGTON, DC — Yesterday, Representatives Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Luz Rivas (CA-29), and George Whitesides (CA-27) made an unannounced oversight visit to the California City Detention Center, the largest facility in California operated by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE).

“There are over 1,600 civil detainees being held at taxpayers’ great expense at this former prison outside California City,” the Members said. “Congress has the authority and responsibility to conduct oversight and ensure that all individuals in federal custody are treated in accordance with the law. What we observed during our visit is an improvement from the abysmal conditions in November that were described in AG Bonta’s report, but ICE is still falling short when it comes to providing adequate healthcare and contact visits for detainees. Due to the Trump administration’s policies, people are in custody for long periods of time. Republicans sent $75 billion to ICE in their Big Ugly Law last summer, yet ICE continues to operate substandard facilities around the United States where death rates and illness have skyrocketed. As we return to Washington next week, we will continue to fight for transparency from ICE, and we will hold this agency accountable for any violations of the law.”

The four Members of Congress spent roughly two hours touring the facility and were granted access with no advanced notice, as federal courts have upheld the authority of Congress to investigate detention conditions at ICE facilities.

The California City Detention Center, operated by CoreCivic, is a former prison in Kern County with a maximum capacity of 2,560 detainees, according to the 2026 California Department of Justice report on immigration detention released on May 15th. That report concluded that this facility had crisis-level healthcare understaffing in November 2025 with only one physician providing care, and no backup physician consistently available to provide coverage when the single physician was unavailable. That report also said that healthcare records and detainee interviews revealed multiple instances of failures to give detainees access to outside specialists.

A federal district court issued a preliminary injunction on February 10th requiring extensive reforms at Cal City due to likely violations of detainees’ constitutional rights at the facility resulting from the substandard conditions.

###

Posted on

Congresswoman Maxine Waters Slams Trump Administration Efforts to Weaponize Federal Power to Harm Los Angeles, LAX and Other Sanctuary Cities

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (43rd District of California)

Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement condemning Donald Trump and his Administration’s efforts to weaponize federal resources and government authority to target sanctuary cities and expand his mass deportation agenda, including reported proposals that could disrupt operations at major airports like Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

“Trump’s revenge agenda, in which he is weaponizing the government to go after his enemies, now includes targeting American cities and the entire American economy. Even as gasoline and grocery prices skyrocket because of Trump’s unlawful and failed wars overseas, the President and the Department of Homeland Security now want to stop all international travel and trade coming through Los Angeles International Airport and numerous other major airports. LAX alone handled nearly $180 billion in international trade last year and welcomed 23 million international visitors. But these visitors and trade don’t just stay in Los Angeles or these other major ports of entry, they go on to every part of the country.

This isn’t the first time Trump has used airports as a weapon to push his dangerous agenda.  Earlier this year, he shut down the government, including the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA), and forced thousands of TSA agents to work without pay because he wanted federal agents to continue to use intimidation and racist tactics common in places like Russia.
  
Trump’s latest threat couldn’t come at a worse time for Americans. According to the Federal Reserve, nearly one in ten Americans doesn’t have enough food to eat, higher even that at the height of the pandemic. Trump already said the quiet part out loud, he doesn’t think about Americans’ financial situation. Instead, he’s more focused on his ballroom and unlawful wars.

The residents of Los Angeles and other sanctuary cities overwhelmingly reject Trump’s terrible immigration and failed economic policies. I hope every American will join me and push back against yet another one of Trump’s threats, because if he isn’t stopped, prices will continue to rise, jobs will be lost, and everyone will be worse off.”

###

Posted on

Congresswoman Maxine Waters Blasts Trump Administration Efforts to Abuse Americans Personal Data and Control Elections

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (43rd District of California)

Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement condemning Donald Trump and his Administration’s dangerous efforts to use federal agencies and sensitive government data to expand control over voter eligibility verification, including the use of Social Security, DHS, USCIS, passport, and DMV records as part of a sweeping escalation of federal involvement in elections.

“In one of his many desperate attempts to interfere in our elections, Trump issued an executive order this year aimed at making it harder for Americans to use mail-in ballots. The order attempts to shift authority over elections from the states and into the hands of the federal government by directing federal agencies to determine who can and can’t vote, and other actions. This is an unlawful overreach that is a direct attack on our Constitution, and it undermines a core tenet of our democracy—free and fair elections.    

Unfortunately, earlier this month, the Trump loyalists sitting on the Supreme Court dealt another devastating blow to the Voting Rights Act making it easier for states in the Jim Crow south to minimize the voting power of Black and other minority voters.  Today, a MAGA judge allowed Trump’s dangerous attempt to take over our elections to proceed. This decision must be appealed, and the courts must immediately determine whether Trump’s order would violate the law and our Constitution.

Trump knows that Americans reject his failed economic policies. He knows that his agenda has fueled an affordability crisis where one in ten Americans don’t have enough food to eat, which is even higher than during the pandemic. He knows that gas is at its highest price in the last four years. Rather than try to ease Americans financial pain, Trump is busy doing everything he can to take control of the elections this fall, including by targeting our most underserved and underrepresented communities.

Make no mistake, this is a dangerous and deliberate attempt to undermine the integrity of our elections and silence the voices of the American people. Time and time again, Donald Trump has shown us that he does not believe in democracy unless it guarantees him power. But in America, presidents do not choose voters. Voters choose their presidents. No president is above the Constitution, nor has the right to rewrite the rules of our democracy for his own political gain. Rest assured, I and my Democratic colleagues will remain steadfast in our fight against this abuse of power in the courts, in Congress, and alongside the people on the ground in communities across this country because the right to vote is sacred, and we will never allow it to be stolen, suppressed, or manipulated.”

###

Posted on

Pallone Condemns Reports of Violent Retaliation Against Delaney Hall Detainees, Repeats Call to Shutter Facility

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

LONG BRANCH, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today issued the following statement after reports that detainees inside the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey were being subjected to violent retaliation by federal immigration enforcement.

“My office has received concerned calls from New Jerseyans who have reported that detainees at Delaney Hall have been beaten and pepper sprayed in retaliation for protesting the horrific conditions of this for-profit facility.

“When I visited Delaney Hall on Monday, I saw firsthand the appalling conditions law-abiding immigrants are protesting. To meet completely reasonable demands for health care and due process under the Constitution with violence is unacceptable.

“Trump’s ICE must de-escalate the situation at Delaney Hall and then shutter it permanently. We have had enough of this coordinated campaign of brutality. My colleagues and I will not rest until this facility closes its doors and our communities are made whole again.”

Pallone has made oversight visits to Delaney Hall, including a visit on May 25 where he condemned the conditions faced by detainees and called for the facility’s immediate closure. Pallone expressed deep concern over the detainees’ lack of access to food, lengthy wait times for medical care and medication, and inability to access legal representation.
Pallone’s renewed condemnation comes after reports that the New Jersey Department of Health was denied full access to the facility today for a health inspection. Governor Sherrill was also denied access to Delaney Hall for an oversight visit on Monday, May 25.

###

Posted on

Congressman Al Green’s Additional Statement Responding to AIPAC

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

(Houston, TX) — On Thursday, May 28, 2026, Congressman Al Green released the following statement in response to an additional statement from AIPAC:   

Click here to see the full thread of Congressman Al Green and AIPAC’s responses.

Congressman Al Green’s response: “On behalf of tens of millions of hardworking Americans facing an affordability crisis, and who are in need of the billions of hard-earned tax dollars we send to Israel annually, it is time for Israel to finance its own wars.”

Posted on

Ranking Members Jared Huffman and Robert Garcia and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse File Amicus Brief to Block Trump’s Illegal Ballroom

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

May 28, 2026

Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Jared Huffman, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, filed an amicus brief in federal court to stop President Trump’s illegal demolition and reconstruction of the White House East Wing to build a billion-dollar ballroom for his billionaire friends and donors.

“Donald Trump looked at a country full of people working hard and still falling behind, and he decided what America needed was a gaudy ballroom. Now he is reaching into the pockets of working families for crystal chandeliers and gold trim while Americans are told to tighten their belts. The White House does not belong to Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies. We are fighting this in court,” said Ranking Member Jared Huffman.

“While working families are told there’s no money for affordable housing, healthcare, or lowering everyday costs, President Trump is building a billion-dollar ballroom. Everyone should be disgusted by his illegal and unconstitutional vanity project. We are fighting this in court,” said Ranking Member Robert Garcia.

“Senate Democrats were able to knock taxpayer funding for Republicans’ gilded ballroom out of the reconciliation bill, but the law is clear that the entire project is illegal,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. 

The lawmakers filed the amicus brief in the case National Trust for Historic Preservation v. National Park Service, currently pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, challenging President Trump’s demolition of the White House East Wing without congressional authorization or appropriation. Congress controls federal property, including the White House, and for more than two centuries every major renovation has gone through congressional authorization and appropriation. Trump bypassed Congress entirely, and no law authorizes what he is doing.

Full list of amicus brief signatories: Rep. Robert Garcia (CA-42), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Rep. Gabe Amo (RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL), Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Rep. Wesley Bell (MO-01), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rep. Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11), Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Janelle S. Bynum (OR-05), Rep. Salud O. Carbajal (CA-24), Rep. Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02), Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06), Rep. Ed Case (HI-01), Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-05), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09), Rep. Herbert C. Conaway Jr. (NJ-03), Rep. Jim Costa (CA-21), Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02), Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02), Rep. Jason Crow (CO-06), Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Rep. Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-03), Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Rep. April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Rep. Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22), Rep. Bill Foster (IL-11), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Rep. Laura Friedman (CA-30), Rep. John Garamendi (CA-08), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Rep. Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Rep. Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Rep. Pablo José Hernández (PR-AL), Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04), Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Rep. Val Hoyle (OR-04), Rep. Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Julie Johnson (TX-32), Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Rep. William Keating (MA-09), Rep. Timothy M. Kennedy (NY-26), Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01), Rep. George Latimer (NY-16), Rep. Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Rep. Susie Lee (NV-03), Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep. Sam T. Liccardo (CA-16), Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36), Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-07), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04), Rep. James P. McGovern (MA-02), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Analilia Mejia (NJ-11), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Rep. Robert J. Menendez (NJ-08), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Rep. Dave Min (CA-47), Rep. Gwen S. Moore (WI-04), Rep. Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rep. Richard E. Neal (MA-01), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), Rep. Scott H. Peters (CA-50), Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rep. Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05), Rep. Emily Randall (WA-06), Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), Rep. Luz M. Rivas (CA-29), Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Rep. Brad Sherman (CA-32), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Rep. Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09), Rep. Melanie A. Stansbury (NM-01), Rep. Haley M. Stevens (MI-11), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02), Rep. Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Norma J. Torres (CA-35), Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Rep. Lori Trahan (MA-03), Rep. Derek T. Tran (CA-45), Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52), Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Rep. Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Rep. James Walkinshaw (VA-11), Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Rep. George Whitesides (CA-27), Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR).

###

Posted on

Reps. Garamendi, Carbajal, Sen. Schiff Launch Investigation into Sable Offshore’s Politicized Efforts to Restart Oil Drilling Operations

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08), Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24), and members of the California congressional delegation are launching an inquiry into Sable Offshore’s efforts to restart oil drilling off the California coast and are demanding answers on the company’s collaboration with the Trump administration to invoke the Defense Production Act (DPA) in relation to this project.  

In a letter to Sable Offshore Corp.’s CEO and Chairman Jim C. Flores, the lawmakers raise concerns about the timeline of Sable’s accrued lawsuits, cease and desist orders, fines, etc. dating back from April 2025 to March 2026. They demand Sable preserve all of their internal communication records between the company and administration officials related to the restart.  

“The administration’s reliance on the Defense Production Act (DPA)—no doubt in consultation and coordination with lawyers representing Sable—is a serious misuse of a federal law meant to be involved for national security reasons, not to enrich an industry already making record profits. To help Congress better understand this effort to circumvent California law and coastal protections, we seek detailed information on the company’s role in this decision, and your communications with the Trump administration in relation to Sable Offshore’s SYU project,” the lawmakers wrote.  

The lawmakers also point to concerning financial ties between Sable and President Trump, including executives at Sable directly contributing to the president’s campaigns. They emphasize that Sable has closely worked with the Trump administration to restart the oil pipelines that have been dormant for over a decade all in an effort to “benefit industry partners and preferred energy sources” rather than protect our coastlines.  

“Californians do not want oil production restarting along their coasts and have voted repeatedly for California laws that block coastal oil production. The environmental impacts, along with the economic fallout from those impacts, are simply too great, especially when there is little to no benefit for California consumers. We urge you to pause and consider the long-term legal and financial ramifications of collaborating with the Trump administration to circumvent California law,” the lawmakers concluded.  

In addition to Garamendi, Schiff, and Carbajal, the letter was signed by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and U.S. Representatives Julia Brownley (CA-26), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Mike Levin (CA-49), Dave Min (CA-47), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), and Mike Thompson (CA-04).  

The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below. 

Dear Mr. Jim Flores:  

We write to express our grave concern over the restart of Sable Offshore Corporation’s (Sable) Santa Ynez Unit (SYU) offshore oil activities near the coast of Santa Barbara, California, and your company’s disregard for California law and the well-being of our constituents. The administration’s reliance on the Defense Production Act (DPA)—no doubt in consultation and coordination with lawyers representing Sable—is a serious misuse of a federal law meant to be invoked for national security reasons, not to enrich an industry already making record profits. To help Congress better understand this effort to circumvent California law and coastal protections, we seek detailed information on the company’s role in this decision, and your communications with the Trump administration in relation to Sable Offshore’s SYU project. We also demand that all relevant documents and records pertaining to the SYU project as described in detail below be preserved.  

In February 2024, your family-owned special purpose acquisition company, Flame Acquisition Corp., struck a deal with ExxonMobil to acquire SYU for roughly $700 million, creating the Sable merger. Given the liabilities attached to SYU operations, including ten years of platform and equipment inactivity, challenges with complying with State regulations, and twenty-seven other risk factors identified in Sable’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 10-K Form, this was a risky purchase.  

Since April 2025, Sable has accrued multiple lawsuits, shareholder complaints, notices of violation, cease and desist orders, and fines from California state agencies and nonprofit organizations. Sable has responded by disobeying directives and filing counterclaims for monetary damages. A timeline of state agency and court penalizations are outlined below:   

April 2025: The California Coastal Commission (CCC) issued an $18 million fine and cease and desist order against Sable for unpermitted work that harmed habitats and waters on California’s coastline in violation of California’s Coastal Act. At the hearing, CCC staff presented evidence of Sable ignoring state orders; Sable had previously received two cease and desist orders from CCC for violating the Coastal Act and Sable responded by suing the CCC and vowing to continue work in defiance of the order. In October 2025, Sable filed a complaint seeking over $347 million in damages from the CCC, claiming “unlawful delay” of the pipeline restart.3 The CCC won a preliminary injunction against Sable in May 2025.  

July 2025: Multiple class action lawsuits were filed by Rosen Law Firm and Schall Law Firm on behalf of purchasers of Sable securities, alleging the company made misleading statements by claiming they had restarted oil production when they had not. Sable is also currently under investigation by the SEC for allegations of advance information being shared selectively among company insiders in October 2025, right before Sable raised $250 million by selling shares of its common stocks to private investors to help keep the company afloat. This same month, a Santa Barbara court placed a separate injunction against Sable preventing the restart of operations unless and until Sable obtains all necessary state approvals.   

September 2025: The Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch filed 21 criminal charges, including five felony counts, against Sable for unlawful discharge of pollutants into waterways and improper excavation during pipeline repair. The District Attorney alleged that these actions are in violation of the California Fish and Game Code and the Water Code. Sable responded by calling theses criminal charges “inflammatory and extremely misleading” and a “politically motivated attack”. 

October 2025: The California Office of the State Fire Marshal determined that Sable had failed to comply with safety standards on its pipeline corrosion repair work and therefore its restart could not proceed. That same month, on behalf of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, the California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, filed a lawsuit against Sable asserting three causes of action: 1) Sable repeatedly discharged or threatened to discharge waste to waters of the state without authorization, despite being notified by the Central Coast Water Board that permits were required for the activities; 2) Sable activities resulted in the discharge of sediment and vegetative debris to various bodies of water inland and near the Gaviota Coast, harming water quality and aquatic habitat; and 3) Sable failed to submit information to the board that was required by law. Sable responded by working with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to update its federal Development and Production Plan to allow the company to bypass its onshore pipeline and use a floating barge operating in federal waters (an Offshore Storage and Treating Vessel). 

March 2026: Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright issued an order claiming that SYU oil production was a national security concern invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA), which unlawfully superseded state laws and restarted SYU oil production. On behalf of the State of California, Attorney General Bonta responded by filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration to halt the use of the DPA Order as a basis for executive overreach. The lawsuit alleges that the DPA Order, which DOE issued at Sable’s request, violates the Administrative Procedure Act and infringes on California’s sovereign power under the Tenth Amendment. The Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel opinion supporting DOE’s move to invoke the DPA explicitly references a letter from Sable through Holland and Knight to the DOE General Counsel requesting the invocation of the DPA.   

The Trump administration has clearly been working hand in glove with Sable to try to force the restart of SYU. For example, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) made misleading statements about SYU oil production in July 2025 that paralleled statements made by Sable, the same statements that resulted in securities class action lawsuits by your shareholders. California Congressional Members also requested further information about these statements in a letter to DOI Secretary Doug Burgum and BSEE Deputy Director Kenneth Stevens. To date, we have not received any response. While this fight between California and the Trump administration continues, these actions suggest that the Trump administration is willing to circumvent state laws to benefit industry partners and preferred energy sources, and you appear to be a willing partner in its efforts.  

Furthermore, we have concerns regarding financial ties between Sable and President Trump. Executives at Sable have directly contributed to President Trump’s campaigns. You have contributed over $300,000 to Super PACs like Right to Rise USA and Senate Leadership Fund, which made contributions to President Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns. Additionally, Gregory Patrinely, Executive Vice President and CFO of Sable, contributed thousands of dollars to Trump-aligned committees in 2020 and 2024. During his campaign, President Trump promised to reverse environmental rules for your industry in exchange for $1 billion in donations. It is difficult to avoid the inference that actions like the use of DPA to overcome state laws on behalf of an oil producer represents a fulfillment of that “pay to play” promise.  

In addition to the information requests below, please preserve all records and communications related to your efforts to work with the Trump administration or campaign to restart the SYU from January 1, 2024, to March 13, 2026, and on an ongoing basis moving forward. This preservation hold applies to your personal records, corporate records, and all communications with President Trump, the White House, the Department of Energy, the Trump presidential campaign and outside entities, and any person representing or purporting to be acting on behalf of President Trump, as well as communications with any intermediary that communicated with these entities on your behalf. This includes but is not limited to: records and communications via email, whether official or personal; mobile devices; encrypted or disappearing messaging applications; social media; calendar entries; meeting notes; and voicemail and text messages. To the extent that you or Sable use any auto-delete functions, you should immediately suspend autodelete functions and notify persons with control over potentially relevant records of their preservation obligations. You should also preserve all records of your or Sable’s communications with the White House or White House personnel, Department of Energy political appointees and staff, others appointed by the President or his advisors, or any member of the Trump presidential campaign. 

We request responses to the following:  

  1. When did your relationship with President Donald Trump begin? Please outline those communications, including any meetings with Trump, his family, or his representatives, to date.   

  1. When did your relationship with Secretary Chris Wright begin? Please outline those communications to date.   

  1. Did Sable, its executives, attorneys, or other representatives at any point discuss with President Trump or any member of his administration or campaign the SYU project and did you link it in any way with any campaign or political donations made by you or executives of your company?   

  1. Did you, your attorneys, your representatives, or any executive of Sable ever make contributions to 501(c)(4) organizations or any other entity for which public disclosure would not be required, and were these contributions ever discussed with President Trump, any member of his family, any member of his campaign, or any political appointee of the current administration in relation to the SYU project?  

  1. Did you, your attorneys, your representatives, or any executive of Sable ever discuss campaign or political donations at all—before or after it was given—with President Trump, any member of his family, any member of his campaign, or any political appointee of the current administration? What was communicated and when did these communications begin?  

  1. Has Sable, its executives, attorneys, or other representatives ever communicated with anyone in the DOE General Counsel’s office or the White House Counsel’s office? Please detail those communications.   

  1. Has Sable, its executives, attorneys, or other representatives communicated with anyone in the Executive Office of the President, the President, the President’s campaign, or any Cabinet members since the start of President Trump’s second term? Or direct others to do so on your behalf? If so, please outline those communications to date.   

  1. Please provide any and all communications to the Department of Energy (DOE) from Sable (including through Holland and Knight), asking DOE to invoke the Defense Production Act, including the December 12, 2025, letter Re: Sable Offshore Corp.— Request for Action Under the Defense Production Act.   

  1. Who initiated the request to DOE to ask for an opinion on the Defense Production Act? Did Sable’s attorneys, DOE, or a member of the President’s administration advise you to do so?   

  1. Did you communicate nonpublic information to a select group of investors concerning your strategy to convince Secretary Wright, Secretary Lutnick, or President Trump to assist in your preemption of California law, and did this strategy involve offering a round of golf with Phil Mickelson to Secretary Lutnick or having an intermediary promise President Trump to affix gold leaf to your offshore oil platform in exchange for helping to override California law?  

Californians do not want oil production restarting along their coasts and have voted repeatedly for California laws that block coastal oil production. The environmental impacts, along with the economic fallout from those impacts, are simply too great, especially when there is little to no benefit for California consumers.  

We urge you to pause and consider the long-term legal and financial ramifications of collaborating with the Trump administration to circumvent California law. We also advise you that we will continue our oversight and investigative efforts in the next Congress. We look forward to your response and acknowledgement of compliance with this preservation request by June 10, 2026.   

Posted on

Brownley Announces Winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition

Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) announced Wenqing Lu from Oak Park High School as the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for California’s 26th Congressional District. Lu’s piece, “Inner Worlds Never Fade,” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol complex for one year. 

“I am always deeply impressed by the incredible artwork submitted to my office in the Congressional Art Competition, and in my final year of hosting this event, the pieces we received from students throughout our region surpassed all expectations. Wenqing Lu’s poignant artwork exemplifies the creativity and talent that thrives in our community, and I congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition and the opportunity to have her work displayed in the halls of our Capitol,” said Congresswoman Brownley. 

“Art is a powerful form of expression that allows students to harness their imagination and share perspectives, experiences, and ideas that matter deeply to them. I am proud of every student who participated in this year’s competition and shared something meaningful through their work. This event is truly a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our community’s up-and-coming artists and the unique voices they bring to the world.”

“I am incredibly honored to have my artwork selected as the first place winner in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. Seeing my work recognized alongside so many talented artists in our community is deeply meaningful for me and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to share my work on this platform. Art has become one of the most important ways I express my thoughts, explore identity, and communicate ideas that are difficult to express with just words alone. I love doing art whenever I can because it soothes me and lets me harness my creative freedom. I also hope viewers can connect my art with their own interpretations and experiences. With this painting, I wanted to show how inner worlds never fade. Even in old age, like the woman I painted, creativity is always there. That childlike wonder still exists deep inside all of us,” said Wenqing Lu, 2026 Congressional Art Competition winner for California’s 26th Congressional District.

“We are so proud of Wenqing! Her piece speaks to the joy and fullness of life while celebrating multi-generational relationships. Art is meant to be shared and we are honored that one of our students’ voices will be displayed so others can enjoy it,” said Mat McClenahan, principal of Oak Park High School. 

“Oak Park High School is proud that Wenqing Lu is representing our school and district for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. ‘Inner Worlds Never Fade’ represents our people and our diverse, beautiful community. Wenqing shows the joy of creativity encompassing innovation that never truly leaves you, no matter what age. I am so proud of the work that is being created in our classroom, the talent and passion at Oak Park High School is terrific. Wenqing’s work leaves me in awe and I am proud to know her for the kind person that she is as well,” said Anna Mendez, Visual Arts and AP Art teacher at Oak Park High School.

“This year’s Congressional Art Competition was both challenging and rewarding to judge. It was challenging because the number of entries demonstrating advanced artistic skill, creative experimentation, and technical mastery made selecting a winner no easy task. At the same time, it was deeply rewarding to see how students interpreted the world around them on canvas and paper. Wenqing Lu’s compelling juxtaposition of highly realistic figurative art with whimsical illustrations, combined with its intimate familial theme, distinguished the work as especially deserving of the competition’s top honor,” said Jeffrey Bowen, art competition judge. 

“It was an honor to serve as one of the judges for this year’s Congressional Art Competition. When I arrived to judge I decided to start with the ‘wow factor’ to get a feel for the work submitted. As I quickly walked past all the work, I was immediately drawn to four pieces on the first pass. Knowing the makers were all high school students, I was very impressed at the skill level on display with each work of art. There were 34 submissions, and I began judging by sitting with each piece and absorbing the topic, the colors, the style, and how the piece made me feel — that is what art & photography is all about anyway.  As I moved from piece to piece, I could envision who each artist was by the feeling the work revealed. The piece that won, ‘Inner Worlds Never Fade’ had all of that!” said Bill Horstick, art competition judge. 

“Wenqing Lu’s ‘Inner Worlds Never Fade’ captures the boundless possibilities that imagination offers. Her work feels like a doorway into something deeply personal yet universally felt by individuals of any and all ages. She beautifully captured a moment where ideas stretch beyond limits and take on a life of their own. It’s a powerful reminder that imagination doesn’t just reflect our inner worlds, it expands them,” said Cristian Rivas, art competition judge.

Two honorable mentions were also recognized: “Uniquely American” by Dylan Li from Newbury Park High School and “us.” by Kate O’Loughlin from Westlake High School.

Started in 1982, the nationwide Congressional Art Competition is sponsored by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and provides an opportunity to recognize and encourage student artistic talent from across the country. 

Submissions from students in grades 9-12 across California’s 26th Congressional District were judged by a panel of local judges who work in the arts, academic, and social work fields. This year’s submissions were judged by Jeffrey Bowen, Director of Library Programming and Public Affairs at Pepperdine University; Bill Horstick, Superintendent for Ventura County Fairgrounds’ Photography Department; and Cristian Rivas, a local artist from Oxnard.

###

Issues: ,