WASHINGTON D.C. (CelebrityAccess) — A week after the shocking announcement of a merger between the American professional golf organization, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, which is backed by Saudia Arabia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, the United States Senate revealed plans to investigate the deal.
On Monday, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, demanded a raft of documentation from the golf organizations, seeking information about the proposed merge plan.
In a statement announcing the investigation, Senator Blumenthal expressed concern about the Saudi government’s role in influencing this effort and the risks posed by a foreign government entity assuming control over an American institution.
Blumenthal also raised issue about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record both in Saudi Arabia and aboard, and the nation’s stated intention to “use investments in sports to further the Saudi government’s strategic objectives.”
According to Senator Blumenthal, he is seeking information regarding how PGA Tour came to an agreement concerning LIV Golf and how the organization would retain its tax-exempt status following the merger.
Read the full text of Senator Blumenthal’s letter to LIV CEO Greg Norman: https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023-06-12-Blumenthal-Request-to-LIV-Golf-re-Agreement_Redacted.pdf
