In a story that shocked the sports and political worlds alike, this morning, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf league announced a merger deal, ending a bitter and controversial feud between the competing organizations.
The headline news: “PGA Tour agrees to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf,” by CNBC’s Lillian Rizzo
The relevant details: “LIV Golf is backed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, an entity controlled by the Saudi crown prince and has been embroiled in antitrust lawsuits with the PGA Tour in the last year. The deal announced Tuesday would end all pending litigation. … Critics of LIV have also accused PIF of ‘sportswashing’ by using the league to distract from the kingdom’s history of human rights violations.”
But even before this morning’s blockbuster news dropped, some of the LIV tour’s opponents were already planning to ratchet up the scrutiny of the organization and its ties to the Saudi government …
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — This morning, 9/11 Families United National Chair TERRY STRADA sent a letter to the Justice Department requesting an investigation into Saudi Arabian foreign agents for alleged violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
The group urges DOJ to look into “numerous disturbing violations,” accusing a number of U.S. consultants paid by the Saudi government of failing to register under FARA, citing reporting by our colleagues Caitlin Oprysko and Hailey Fuchs. (Read more coverage from Caitlin in POLITICO Influence)
“We do not view this issue as one of ‘technical violations’ of a statute,” the letter reads. “We are Americans who have suffered at the hands of foreign terrorists and have spent more than two decades trying to hold those terrorists’ funders and supporters to account. Throughout this time, we have seen foreign agents work against us — some of them disclosed, some of them not.” Read the full letter
Strada’s husband, Tom, was killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center’s North Tower. She has been an outspoken opponent of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league, including when DONALD TRUMP — who has been a vocal supporter of the LIV offshoot — recently hosted the organization at his Virginia golf course.
In a statement released this afternoon, Strada blasted the reported deal: “PGA Commissioner JAY MONAHAN co-opted the 9/11 community last year in the PGA’s unequivocal agreement that the Saudi LIV project was nothing more than sportswashing of Saudi Arabia’s reputation. 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, and finance al Qaeda and the murder of our loved ones. Make no mistake — we will never forget.”
The LIV league did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump the fortune teller: In a post on Truth Social from July 2022, Trump predicted today’s news. “All of those golfers that remain ‘loyal’ to the very disloyal PGA, in all of its different forms, will pay a big price when the inevitable MERGER with LIV comes, and you get nothing but a big ‘thank you’ from PGA officials who are making Millions of Dollars a year. If you don’t take the money now, you will get nothing after the merger takes place,” he posted.
Here’s Trump’s take today: “GREAT NEWS FROM LIV GOLF. A BIG, BEAUTIFUL, AND GLAMOROUS DEAL FOR THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF GOLF. CONGRATS TO ALL!!!”
PRE-CHRISTIE READING — Former New Jersey Gov. CHRIS CHRISTIE is set to enter the 2024 Republican presidential primary later tonight at a town hall in New Hampshire.
Despite his insistence that he sees a viable path to the nomination, much of the media coverage thus far has pointed to the idea that Christie’s other purpose in the race is to torpedo Trump’s chances.
PROGRAMMING NOTE — Trump will join Fox News’ BRET BAIER on Monday, June 19, for the anchor’s first sitdown with the former president since 2018, Fox News announced today. The interview will center on the 2024 presidential race and air on June 19 at 6 p.m. during Fox News’ “Special Report.”
Good Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line: [email protected].
CONGRESS
TO THE LETTER — “Rep. Jim Jordan demands DOJ memo outlining scope of Trump probe,” by NBC’s Ali Vitali: “In a letter first reported by NBC News, [Rep. JIM] JORDAN told Attorney General MERRICK GARLAND that his committee was requesting ‘an unredacted copy of the memorandum outlining the scope of [special counsel JACK] SMITH’s probes regarding President Trump and any supporting documentation related to his appointment as special counsel.’”
GOP EYES TAX FIGHT — With the debt ceiling drama in the rearview mirror, House Republicans are moving on to their next priority: tax cuts. “Republicans hope to push a bill through the House Ways and Means Committee as soon as this month that would revive expired business tax breaks and possibly make changes for individuals,” WSJ’s Richard Rubin reports, citing congressional aides. “The GOP bill likely won’t become law, but it could be the first step toward bipartisan negotiations this year. And it would set the stage for a larger tax-cut package Republicans are expected to push in 2025, when Trump-era breaks for individuals are scheduled to expire.”
HOT TOPIC — “House Republicans aim to defend gas-stove owners’ ‘freedoms,’” by Reuters’ Richard Cowan
2024 WATCH
SPENDING STREAK — “Top conservative spenders begin investing in Iowa, opposing Trump ahead of 2024 caucuses,” by the Des Moines Register’s Galen Bacharier: “The payments [from Club for Growth and Americans for Prosperity] mark the first major spending in Iowa this cycle from the groups, which are among the heaviest Republican spenders in the country and have indicated their opposition to Trump in 2024. Both groups combined to spend almost $140 million in the 2022 midterms.
“If the two organizations choose to continue investing in Iowa, it could mean significant resources dedicated to chipping away support for Trump, who remains the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. ‘We’re getting involved earlier than ever in the presidential primary process — and that all begins right here in Iowa,’ said DREW KLEIN, adviser to the campaign arm of Americans for Prosperity’s Iowa chapter.”
FIGHT OR FLIGHT — “DeSantis Stays Silent on Whether Florida Arranged Migrant Flights to California,” by NYT’s Nicholas Nehamas: “The silence from Mr. DeSantis, a Republican running for president, on a high-profile incident drawing national interest is unusual, especially given pointed attacks on him in recent days from Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM of California, a Democrat. …
“Officials in California have blamed Mr. DeSantis for the flights, saying the migrants carried papers indicating that their travel had been arranged by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and a private contractor, Vertol Systems Company, that also arranged sending two planeloads of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard last year in an operation funded by Florida taxpayers.”
Related reads: “Newsom threatens DeSantis with kidnapping charges after migrants flown to Sacramento,” by LA Times’ Mackenzie Mays and Melanie Mason … “DeSantis quiet on migrant flights as Texas sheriff calls for charges,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Steven Lemongello
POLICY CORNER
CRYPTO CRACKDOWN CONTINUES — “S.E.C. Accuses Coinbase of Breaking Market Rules,” by NYT’s Matthew Goldstein and Ephrat Livni: “The complaint, which was filed in a Manhattan federal court, claims that Coinbase operated as an unregistered exchange even though it told investors in going public that there were risks in how it was operating and that some of the products traded on its platform might be deemed to be securities by regulators.”
PUTTING THE N-O IN ‘NEGOTIATION’ — “Merck sues HHS over drug negotiation, claims program ‘tantamount to extortion,’” by Megan Wilson
AMERICA AND THE WORLD
FOR YOUR RADAR — “U.S. had intelligence of detailed Ukrainian plan to attack Nord Stream pipeline,” by WaPo’s Shane Harris and Souad Mekhennet: “The highly specific details, which include numbers of operatives and methods of attack, show that for nearly a year Western allies had a basis to suspect Kyiv in the sabotage. That assessment has only strengthened in recent months as German law enforcement investigators uncovered evidence about the bombing that bears striking similarities to what the European service said Ukraine was planning.
“Officials in multiple countries confirmed that the intelligence summary posted on Discord accurately stated what the European service told the CIA. … Ukrainian officials, who have previously denied the country was involved in the Nord Stream attack, did not respond to requests for comment.”
THE ECONOMY
THE GLOBAL SCALE — “Global economy struggles amid inflation, pandemic aftershocks and war,” by WaPo’s David Lynch: “A pair of central bank decisions next week will shape the outlook for a wobbly global economy that the World Bank warns in a downbeat new assessment is battling stubbornly high inflation amid the pandemic’s aftermath and the war in Ukraine. The gloomy forecast arrives days after one threat to global growth was eliminated when President Biden signed legislation Friday to raise the U.S. debt ceiling and avert a potentially catastrophic government default.”
BEYOND THE BELTWAY
DANGER ZONE — As the U.S. recognizes Pride Month, the Human Rights Campaign, one of the leading voices for LGBTQ+ rights, has for the first time “officially declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States,” citing “an unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year,” per a statement. “More than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been signed into law this year alone, more than doubling last year’s number, which was previously the worst year on record.”
WHO GETS BURNED — “Republican lawmakers are making it harder for power companies to pivot away from coal. Their constituents may be paying the price,” by CNN’s Isabelle Chapman, Casey Tolan and Ella Nilsen
ORE-GOING, GOING, GONE? — “Oregon breakaway effort is down to just 8 votes, deepening urban-rural divide,” by NBC’s Alicia Victoria Lozano in Enterprise, Ore.: “A grassroots movement to redraw Oregon’s border is gaining traction after voters in 11 rural, conservative counties approved measures this year that would start the process of seceding from the blue state and joining Republican-dominated Idaho. In Oregon’s Wallowa County, just eight votes separated those who support the Greater Idaho movement from those who oppose it last week, the county clerk said. Tuesday is the deadline to resubmit ballots that either did not have signatures or had signatures that did not match county records.”
MEDIAWATCH
CNN FALLOUT CONTINUED — CNN’s PR team will no longer report to CEO CHRIS LICHT, instead falling under incoming COO DAVID LEAVY’s purview, Semafor’s Max Tani reports — the latest shoe to drop as the network continues dealing with the scrutiny of Licht in light of The Atlantic profile that raised questions about his leadership.
THE BREAM TEAM — “Fox News’ Shannon Bream Is Writing Her Cable News Legacy One Bestseller at a Time,” by The Wrap’s Joseph Kapsch
PLAYBOOKERS
MEDIA MOVE — Madison Alder is now a technology reporter at FedScoop. She previously was a judiciary reporter at Bloomberg Industry Group.
TRANSITIONS — Naomi Zeigler has started on the legislative affairs team at the International Trade Administration. She most recently was at OMB, and is a Tom Carper and Kirsten Gillibrand alum. … Timothy Gallagher is now chief security officer at Nardello & Co. He was previously a managing director in the cyber risk practice at Kroll and is an FBI alum.
… Andrea McGee is now a federal government relations manager at the National Federation of Independent Business. She was previously administrative director for Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). … Alvaro Perpuly is now press secretary and speechwriter for Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.). He most recently was a political strategist at MDW communications.
WEEKEND WEDDING — Peter True, Democratic comms director for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Lauren Johnson, founder and CEO at Mint Tulep, got married on Friday in Palo Alto, Calif. The couple met through their friend Rosie Santiago who also performed the wedding. Pic
Send Playbookers tips to [email protected] or text us at 202-556-3307. Playbook couldn’t happen without our editor Mike DeBonis, deputy editor Zack Stanton and producers Setota Hailemariam and Bethany Irvine.
