While many Democrats in the United States Congress continue their probe into Russia’s alleged interference in the United States presidential elections, two Republican lawmakers are making their own allegations of Russian interference in the US energy market.
A June 29 letter from congressmen Lamar Smith (R-TX) and Randy Weber (R-TX) to US Treasury Steve Mnunchin alleges that the Russian government funnelled money through shell companies in Bermuda to help fund anti-fracking environmentalists in the US.
“The Russian government and complicit parties have executed a political agenda with little or no paper trial,” the six-page letter states. “This scheme allows money originating from foreign countries like Russia to funnel through Bermuda-based shell companies to environmental groups in the United States with the aim of disrupting the US energy industry.”
According to Messrs. Smith and Weber — who are members of the US Committee on Science, Space and Technology — Russia is conducting this secret influence campaign in order to safeguard its state-run oil industry from a US natural gas industry that has thrived in recent years due to the increased prevalence of fracking, the process of extracting gas by injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks.
The letter doesn’t specifically allege illegal activity by Russia or the environmental groups, but states that “the scheme described in this letter raises questions about whether these foreign entities working to influence US policy are in violation of federal statutes pertaining to agents of foreign governments or those lobbying on behalf of domestic and foreign interests.”
As such, the letter asks Mr. Mnunchin to investigate the matter.
“If the above allegations are true, Russian entities have funnelled money through shell corporations to US environmental activist organisations to influence US energy policy,” the letter states.
The allegations haven’t gained much traction with major US media outlets, but have drawn the ire of environmentalists there.
“If Congressional Republicans are so concerned about Russian influence, they should start seriously investigating that country’s interference in our election, not attacking long-standing environmental organisations,” stated the Sierra Club, which was named in the letter as an organisation that has received Russian funds. “The Sierra Club’s staff, donors, and our three million members and supporters have been fighting for clean energy and climate action to protect the health of our communities for decades, because it is what our planet requires and what our families deserve.”
{fcomment}