House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer acknowledged Thursday that he believes former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, “crossed the line of ethics” by accepting a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia.
The Kentucky Republican — who has been leading a congressional probe into President Biden’s role in first son Hunter Biden’s overseas influence-peddling operation — was responding to comments from former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who accused Kushner of “grifting.”
“I have been vocal that I think that what Kushner did crossed the line of ethics,” Comer told CNN’s “The Lead” host Jake Tapper, noting differences between Hunter Biden’s and Kushner’s business dealings.
“But what Christie said, it happened after he left office. Still no excuse, Jake, but it happened after he left office. And Jared Kushner actually has a legitimate business,” Comer argued.
Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, served as his adviser in the White House.
“This money from the Bidens happened while Joe Biden was vice president, while he was flying to those countries. He – look, days after he left Romania, his family started receiving wires from a corrupt Romanian foreign national, days, Jake, like four days after he left, including his granddaughter. What’s his granddaughter doing getting a wire from a Romanian foreign national?” he added.
Kushner reportedly received a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund — with expected annual management fees of $25 million — six months after Trump left office, drawing comparisons to Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings.
Kushner’s firm Affinity Partners made the deal despite a Saudi Public Investment Fund review panel’s concerns about “inexperience” and a due diligence review that was “unsatisfactory in all aspects,” according to meeting minutes reported by the New York Times.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman overruled the fund’s review panel.
Kushner was tasked with handling Middle East policy during his time in the White House and built a relationship with the crown prince.
He led efforts to implement the Abraham Accords, which led to four Arab states establishing diplomatic relations with Israel.
Comer announced Thursday he intends to subpoena members of the Biden family as part of his panel’s investigation of the president and first son.
On Wednesday, the GOP-led House Oversight Committee unveiled bank records that showed the Biden family and its allies had raked in some $20 million from foreign nationals from Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.
