Meijer-led contingent seeks sanctions against Russian oligarchs, kleptocrats

U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI) led a bipartisan group of his colleagues in requesting that President Joe Biden use existing authorities to investigate, seize and sanction the assets of Russian oligarchs and kleptocrats who are complicit in the war atrocities of Vladimir Putin. 

In a March 7 letter sent to the president, Rep. Meijer and the lawmakers also requested that the Biden administration work with Congress to develop legislation that would enable the Executive Branch to liquidate targeted assets for use toward humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Ukraine.

“We are hopeful that the administration will take further action to devastate the Russian economy and its oligarchs,” wrote the members. “To that end, we request that you use existing authorities… to target Russian oligarchs’ ill-gotten wealth, of which more than half is estimated to be held offshore.”

Rep. Meijer, who is a member of the Congressional Caucus against Foreign Corruption and Kleptocracy, was joined in signing the letter by fellow caucus co-chairs U.S. Reps. John Curtis (R-UT), Bill Keating (D-MA), Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), among others.

The lawmakers also commended Biden’s actions against Putin thus far, calling them “steps in the right direction.” They urged the administration to go further by working with America’s allies and partners to use and, if necessary, strengthen current powers to investigate and seize offshore wealth belonging to Russian oligarchs and kleptocrats that may have been obtained through corrupt means.

“The catastrophic war in Ukraine should serve as a moment of reckoning for Western countries who have, wittingly or not, provided harbor for Russian kleptocrats and oligarchs who enable President Putin’s evil and corrupt regime,” wrote the members. “Taking steps to investigate, seize and otherwise sanction these assets will send a clear and long overdue message to Putin’s cronies that they and their ill-gotten property are no longer welcome.”