The PGA tour and LIV Golf appear poised to advance with their shocking and unpredictable merger—however, some in the federal government and saying not so fast.
A group of congressional Democrats has filed a bill aimed at what they describe as a union based on “blatant hypocrisy,” an ignoring of “human decency,” and a “sportswashing” of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
“Saudi Arabia cannot be allowed to ‘sportswash’ its government’s horrific human rights abuses and the 2018 murder of American-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi by taking over the PGA [Tour],” California Democrat Representative John Garamendi said in a statement via Yahoo Sports.
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., speaks during a news conference on Wall Street bonus taxes on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010. (Bill Clark/Roll Call/Getty Images)
“PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan should be ashamed of the blatant hypocrisy and about-face he and the rest of PGA’s leadership demonstrated by allowing the sovereign wealth fund of a foreign government with an unconscionable human rights record to take over an iconic American sports league and avoid paying a penny in federal corporate income tax. This merger flies in the face of the PGA players who turned down hundred-million-dollar paydays from the Saudi-backed LIV to align themselves with the right side of history and human decency.”
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan addresses the media during a press conference prior to the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 22, 2022, in Cromwell, Connecticut. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Garamendi is not above in his criticism of the PGA Tour.
“I was really sickened by it. I thought the PGA was taking a principled stand,” Democrat Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia explained to Fox News. “When I saw the news yesterday, I was really disappointed because it seems they set aside all the human rights objections that they had and just decided, ‘Okay, well, we can make more money if we go a different direction.’”
Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut also had harsh words for the Tour.
“I am disappointed and even outraged by the PGA’s sellout,” he said. “The PGA ought to be ashamed, and its leadership, frankly, has lost all credibility, certainly all moral authority.”
These criticisms are in addition to the heartfelt anger of 9/11 families and their representatives, such as 9/11 Families United, who believe the Saudis were heavily involved in the 9/11 attacks and see the merger as proof that the PGA Tour has become nothing more than “Saudi shills.”
“But now the PGA and Monahan appear to have become just more paid Saudi shills, taking billions of dollars to cleanse the Saudi reputation so that Americans and the world will forget how the Kingdom spent their billions of dollars before 9/11 to fund terrorism, spread their vitriolic hatred of Americans, and finance al Qaeda and the murder of our loved ones,” 9/11 Families United Chair Terry Strada said. “Make no mistake — we will never forget.”
It’s unclear at this point what the specific intent of Garamendi’s measure is. However, the mention of “federal corporate income tax” implies that tax revenue is certainly a component of the legislation.