Letter to President Donald Trump - House Members Call for Sanctions After Jamal Khashoggi Murder

Letter

Dear President Trump:

Mounting evidence appears to indicate that the Government of Saudi Arabia directed the murder and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi. We join our Senate colleagues in supporting their formal request under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for you to determine whether a foreign person "is responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights"[1] committed against an individual exercising freedom of expression, and to report to Congress within 120 days a determination and a decision on the imposition of sanctions on that foreign person or persons. We are hopeful that you can complete this report much sooner.

We are deeply troubled by your recent remarks suggesting that money is more important than justice and other vital American values, and by your misrepresentation of how much money is at stake.[2] Additionally, we ask that you promptly disclose whether the United States intercepted communications among Saudi officials discussing plans to detain Mr. Khashoggi and advise what actions were taken to warn him of an attack. That can be done in a private briefing with lawmakers if deemed necessary.

If your immediate investigation and determination are consistent with ongoing media reports about this outrageous action, we urge strong, comprehensive sanctions. We also urge the overdue suspension of U.S. involvement in Yemen, which has led to the deaths of countless innocent women and children in Yemen.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Doggett, Walter Jones, Alan Lowenthal, John Yarmuth, Frank Pallone, Jr., Pramila Jayapal, Jamie Raskin, Filemon Vela, James McGovern, Ro Khanna, Tim Ryan, Bill Foster, Zoe Lofgren, Jared Huffman, Mark Pocan, Ron Kind, Grace F. Napolitano, Robert Brady, Yvette D. Clarke, Peter DeFazio, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chellie Pingree, Sheila Jackson Lee, Bobby L. Rush, Karen Bass, David N. Cicilline, Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison, Adam Smith, Barbara Lee, Nydia M. Velázquez, Peter Welch, Carolyn B. Maloney, Jan Schakowsky, Steve Cohen, John Garamendi, Suzan Delbene, Paul D. Tonko, Jackie Speier, Alcee L. Hastings, Nita Lowey, Suzanne Bonamici, Rosa DeLauro, Earl Blumenauer