Raskin Warns Oil Industry Against Trump's Russian Diesel Deal

Oil companies will "be held accountable" if they import any barrels of Russian diesel fuel under the deal that President Donald Trump struck with the Kremlin, House Judiciary ranking member Jamie Raskin said in a letter to industry heads Monday.

Raskin (D-Md.), who is expected to head the powerful Judiciary Committee if Democrats win control of the House in next week's election, is the latest lawmaker to warn the industry against importing or processing any of the Russian fuel that is subject to U.S. sanctions. Trump has faced a wave of bipartisan criticism over his announcement earlier this month that the U.S. would buy Russian diesel in an effort to drive down fuel prices that are currently $2.70 a gallon higher than a year ago.

Raskin sent the letter, a copy of which was obtained by POLITICO, to the heads of industry trade groups American Petroleum Institute and American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. Another copy went to the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"Your members are now on notice that taking part in any effort to help President Putin hawk Russian diesel in the U.S. is a clear and dangerous violation of federal law," Raskin wrote in the letter. "Those who choose to act in this way proceed at their own risk and will undoubtedly be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, whether in this Administration — or the next."

A White House official said the deal "is in compliance with all applicable laws."

“The Democrats are already telegraphing that, once again, they have no agenda to improve the lives of Americans and will instead continue their decade-long obsession with investigating President Trump," White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said.

At least one cargo of Russian diesel is on its way to the United States and is expected to arrive next week, Reuters reported, citing ship tracking data. Democratic lawmakers have already sent letters to port authorities and banks asking them to preserve any records related to accepting Russian diesel shipments, Axios reported earlier Monday.

Anyone importing Russian diesel into the United States "will be violating federal law and may therefore have to face both civil and criminal penalties, including up to 20 years’ imprisonment," Raskin noted in the letter.

Spokespeople for the API, AFPM and the Chamber of Commerce did not immediately respond to questions.

Phelim Kine contributed reporting