WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI) today sent a letter to President Biden urging his administration to invoke existing authorities to investigate, seize, and sanction assets belonging to Russian oligarchs and kleptocrats who are complicit in Vladimir Putin’s tyranny and acts of crime and corruption around the world. The letter also requests that the Biden Administration work with Congress on legislation that would enable the Executive Branch to liquidate targeted assets for use toward humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Ukraine.
Representative Meijer is a member of the Congressional Caucus against Foreign Corruption and Kleptocracy and received support from the Caucus co-chairs, Representatives John Curtis (R-UT), Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), Bill Keating (D-MA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), on this initiative.
Excerpt from the letter:
“We believe the existing financial sanctions imposed by your administration, the European Union (EU) and other countries, are steps in the right direction. During your State of the Union address, you announced the establishment of a task force to enforce sanctions on Russian oligarchs. This, in addition to the White House’s recent joint statement with EU members and others expressing a commitment to identifying and freezing assets belonging to Russian oligarchs, are meaningful announcements. We are also encouraged by the administration’s decision last week imposing full blocking sanctions and visa restrictions on an expansive list of Russia elites and their family members that enable Putin, as well as full blocking sanctions on disinformation targets.
“We also urge your administration to work with our allies and partners to utilize and, if necessary, strengthen existing authorities to investigate and seize offshore wealth belonging to Russian oligarchs and kleptocrats that may have been obtained through corrupt means. We believe your administration should actively support and promote efforts such as London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s call to expropriate the $1.1 billion worth of real estate in his city belonging to Russian oligarchs.
“The catastrophic war in Ukraine should serve as a moment of reckoning for Western countries who have, wittingly or not, provided harbor for Russian kleptocrats and oligarchs who enable President Putin’s evil and corrupt regime. Taking steps to investigate, seize, and otherwise sanction these assets will send a clear and long overdue message to Putin’s cronies that they and their ill-gotten property are no longer welcome.”
Original source can be found here.
