Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)

 

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) launched a probe into the planned merger of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.  In letters to PGA Tour CEO Jay Monahan and LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, Blumenthal requested details of the agreement and wants clarification on how the new combined entity would operate. The inquiry is partly to understand how the Saudis are involved, as their human rights abuses are a top issue with critics. After the announcement last week, many have wondered how exactly the merger will carry out, considering both sides were deep in litigation with one another. The merger was a "sudden and drastic reversal of a position concerning LIV Golf," wrote Blumenthal, who is the chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.  Saudi Arabia's Private Investment Fund is slated to be the main backer and financier of the newly established entity. The Saudi government has been accused of numerous human rights violations, including orchestrating the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.