US (Washington Insider) – 2 Democratic senators and Jeff
Merkley called for an investigation into Venture Global co‑founders Pender and
Sabel after $12M stock buys, Mar‑a‑Lago donations, $1.67M lobbying, and Trump’s
LNG policies.
As The Guardian reported, 2 senior Democratic senators have
called for an investigation into a recent stock buying spree by the co‑founders
of Venture Global, a Virginia‑based liquefied natural gas company.
In March 2025, Robert Pender and Michael Sabel each bought
more than a million shares worth nearly $12 million. The purchases came just
days after the 2 met with senior officials in the Trump administration. Soon
after, the government issued a permit that expanded Venture Global’s business
in Europe.
Senators Ron Wyden and Chris Van Hollen said the timing of
the trades raised serious concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Wyden
compared the situation to previous Trump administration controversies where top
energy officials were accused of helping political allies but faced no
accountability.
“Corrupt pay-to-play schemes are at the heart of
everything the Trump administration does,”
Wyden said.
“There is no doubt in my mind that these new LNG
transactions should be investigated so the American people know the full extent
of Trump’s corruption and abuse of office.?
What are the alleged Pay-to-Play links between Venture
Global and Trump Allies?
Senator Jeff Merkley has also urged regulators to examine
the trades for possible wrongdoing. Democrats said the combination of the
meeting, large stock purchases, and fast regulatory approval could suggest “pay‑to‑play”
politics or insider advantage.
“The Trump administration’s blatant use of cronyism
and pay-to-play politics knows no limit. It’s clear that they’re padding the
pockets of billionaires at the expense of working Americans,”
said Van Hollen, senator for Maryland, member of the Senate
banking committee and ranking member of the appropriations subcommittee that
oversees the Securities and Exchange Commission and justice department.
“These investments absolutely merit further
investigation.”
Venture Global said all trades followed U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission rules. The White House denied any wrongdoing. Lawmakers
said regulators should check whether insider trading rules,
conflict-of-interest laws, or political influence were involved.
“Dirty oil-and-gas bucks are fueling the Trump
administration, which should outrage all of us. This latest reporting portrays
a pattern of pay-to-play donations and favourable actions by the
administration,”
Merkley said.
“The timing of the stock trades certainly merits
investigation for potential conflicts of interest and insider trading.”
A spokesperson for Venture Global said last week that the
company’s share purchases
“fully complied with SEC rules and regulations”
and that it
“strictly followed all laws and rules regarding
interactions with government officials.”
The company has not responded to
repeated requests for comment on growing calls on Capitol Hill for an
investigation into the findings.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told the
Guardian:
“The president has never engaged, and will never
engage, in conflicts of interest.”
On his first day back in the White House, Trump signed an
executive order rolling back regulations to favour fossil fuel production,
including LNG export licenses, while removing existing climate and clean-energy
policies. He also withdrew the United States from the Paris climate agreement
and did not participate in this year’s UN climate talks.
The year 2025 is on track to be the 3rd year in U.S.
history. Floods, fires, and extreme heat have killed Americans and caused
billions in damage. Energy costs are rising, with electricity bills up more
than 15% in 10 states and Washington, D.C.
Experts say the increases are driven by rising
fossil gas prices, utility costs for infrastructure upgrades, and the fast
growth of AI and cryptocurrency data centres, which demand more electricity.
The combination of extreme weather and higher energy costs is raising concerns
over government energy policies and the influence of the fossil fuel industry
on lawmakers.
In response to the Guardian’s questions, Leavitt said:
“The president has never engaged, and will never
engage, in conflicts of interest.”
“This is why we need to get money out of
politics,”
said Ro Khanna, Democratic representative for California and
member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.
“LNG exports will raise energy prices for American
families and businesses. If Trump is really concerned with the affordability
crisis, he should prohibit them and prioritise people over greedy fossil fuel
executives,”
According to reports, Michael Sabel, co-chair of Venture
Global, was one of many leaders from the fossil fuel industry to attend a
private gathering hosted at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, where Trump
requested those leaders to contribute to his political campaigns with at least
$1 billion in return for investments in “friendly” legislation
related to fossil fuels. The Wall Street Journal indicated that Venture Global
was listed as one of the largest financial supporters of Trump’s inaugural.
Venture Global made a $1 million donation to Trump’s campaign before his
inauguration.
According to OpenSecrets, the non-profit group that tracks
expenditures by interest groups, including Lobbyist organizations, individuals
linked to the company have invested nearly $860,000.00 on lobbying activities
in 2024 and almost $810,000.00 in 2025 year to date. This amount exceeds the
company’s past record of spending in 2019 of $70,000.00 more than twelve times
over. A Democratic member of Congress from the House Oversight and
Accountability Committee, together with Congressman Summer Lee is taking the
initiative to work towards outlawing Super PAC contributions.
