Democratic legislator Robert Garcia, a senior member of the House Oversight Committee of the US Congress, has launched an investigation into Jared Kushner’s investments, following a CNN inquiry that revealed indirect links between his investment firm and companies involved in supporting the Israeli military industry.
Garcia sent a request to Affinity Partners, the company founded by the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, in which he asked for information about its businesses in the Middle East, according to CNN.
The Democrat explained that “he is investigating the unprecedented and dangerous ways in which President Trump and his family have directly profited from their access to power”.
The move is seen as a signal that Democrats intend to investigate more broadly the Trump family’s foreign affairs if they regain the majority in Congress after the midterm elections.
According to the CNN investigation, Affinity Partners is the largest investor in Phoenix Financial, an Israeli company that holds stakes worth hundreds of millions of dollars in Elbit Systems, the largest arms manufacturer in Israel, as well as in other firms that supply equipment to the Israeli military.
Although Affinity does not directly hold shares in these companies, it benefits financially when Phoenix makes a profit.
CNN stated that it found no evidence that Kushner’s diplomatic activity directly influenced the investments analyzed. Also, his lawyer stated that the former White House advisor “never participated in and did not influence Phoenix’s decisions” regarding financial placements.
Kushner’s defense has dismissed the allegations and argued that Garcia’s letter is a “lesson in irony“, pointing out that the pension funds in which the congressman is included also hold investments in the mentioned companies. The Democrat’s team responded that he does not trade stocks and has no control over the management of those funds.
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