Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) on Monday said that he would support U.S. sanctions against Saudi Arabia under the Magnitsky Act if they are “responsible” for journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance.
“Yeah, for those ones that are responsible. That’s the whole purpose of that bill,” Yoho, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Hill.TV’s Buck Sexton and Krystal Ball on “Rising” when asked whether he would support sanctions under the act.
“That’s a very powerful tool that the United States has in their foreign diplomacy, and it came out of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and we’re very proud of that bill,” he continued.
The Magnitsky Act authorizes the government to sanction human rights violators, freeze their assets and prevent them from gaining entry into the U.S.
A bipartisan group of senators has sent a letter to President Trump calling for a probe into Khashoggi’s disappearance, and for him to determine whether the U.S. should slap sanctions on Saudi Arabia.
The legislation requires that the president make a decision within 120 days of receiving the letter on whether to put sanctions on another country.
Trump announced on Monday that he was sending Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet with the Saudi king after Saudi Arabia continued to deny any involvement into Khashoggi’s disappearance.
Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened “to our Saudi Arabian citizen.” He said that they are working closely with Turkey to find answer. I am immediately sending our Secretary of State to meet with King!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 15, 2018
While Trump is facing pressure from Republicans and Democrats in Congress, he has been slow to put pressure on Saudi Arabia amid Khashoggi’s disappearance and has defended a $110 billion arms deal with Riyadh.
He said in an interview with “60 Minutes” on Sunday that there were other ways of punishing Saudi Arabia.
— Julia Manchester
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