Saudi PIF governor dodging Congress’ attempts for testimony amid PGA Tour LIV Golf deal, revealed

In a letter addressed to Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) Governor Yasir al-Rumayyan Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) insisted once again that al-Rumayyan testify before the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) at a mutually agreed upon date in September 2023.

Blumenthal chairs the PSI and has been working to uncover the behind-the-scenes negotiations that led to the PGA Tour’s deal with PIF.

Thursday’s letter comes a little over two weeks after the Jul. 11 hearing, as PGA Tour Chief Operations Officer Ron Price and PGA Tour policy board member Jimmy Dunne testified before the PSI.

Notably absent from this hearing were PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, and al-Rumayyan; all of whom were invited to attend.

Yet, Monahan cited health issues, while Norman and al-Rumayyan had “scheduling conflicts.”

The letter comes after the PSI staff had multiple correspondences with the counsel representing the PIF.

But the letter reveals that the PIF appears disinterested in testifying before members of the United States Senate.

“During a phone call between PSI staff and counsel for PIF [on Jul. 12], PSI staff expressed that the Subcommittee would like to work with PIF to find a mutually acceptable date for your testimony,” the letter reads. “On July 7, 2023, PSI staff sent PIF’s counsel an email inquiring about your availability to testify in late July or September.”

“PIF’s counsel replied on July 10 that PIF ‘would be pleased to further engage with the Subcommittee at a date and time that is convenient’ but did not otherwise specify when you will be available,” the letter continues.

“PSI staff renewed the request for a specific date for your testimony in a July 12, 2023, email to PIF’s counsel. On July 24, 2023, PIF’s counsel again declined to provide your availability for a hearing, while stating that ‘PIF desires to be helpful to the Subcommittee, and to work cooperatively with the Subcommittee.’”

Since the counsel representing the PIF declined to provide a specific timeline for a hearing, Blumenthal drafted this letter to al-Rumayyan himself, requesting his presence before the PSI.

The letter continues to state that the PIF lacks transparency.

“The [PSI] requires additional information to understand PIF’s future role in American professional golf and its plans for other investments in U.S.-based entities,” Blumenthal’s letter reads. “Given this need for additional information, the Subcommittee renews its request for your in-person testimony on a mutually acceptable date in September 2023.”

Thus, Blumenthal has not only requested the presence of al-Rumayyan but also a list of all assets held by the PIF in the United States.

Blumenthal requested a “detailed list of any United States-based contractors, consultants, public relations firms, strategic consultants, crisis consultants, lobbyists, or law firms currently or previously employed by PIF, including a brief description of the scope and timeframe of their engagement with PIF.”

Thursday’s letter also asks the PIF to provide plenty of other pertinent information, as the PSI looks to uncover many of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund’s financial records, employees, and future ambitions.

Plenty of details still need to be ironed out, but it sounds like al-Rumayyan will have to appear in Washington at some point in the near future.

Whenever that date is finalized, all eyes—including those members of 9/11 Justice—will be squarely on this hearing.

Al-Rumayyan has until Aug. 4, 2023 to provide a mutually agreed-upon date for a hearing to Blumenthal and the PSI.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.