Heartland Signal: Rogers “has been linked to several Saudi companies” “which he has personally gained from, including one with questionable nuclear ambitions.”
LANSING — With four days until the GOP Senate primary, Mike Rogers can’t hide from his record of only looking out for himself. Rogers enriched himself by working hand in hand with American adversaries that threaten our national security.
Rogers has ties to “several Saudi companies” “which he has personally gained from, including one with questionable nuclear ambitions.” Rogers “has been a member of Telefonica’s Technical and Security Advisory Committee” of which Saudi Telecom is “its largest shareholder” and is a board member of “IP3 International and its subsidiary, Allied Nuclear.”
“Mike Rogers worked hand in hand with American adversaries that threaten our national security to enrich himself. It’s clear that Rogers is only in this race for himself, even when it hurts Michigan families,” said Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Sam Chan.
Read Heartland Signal’s reporting on Rogers enriching himself through his work with “Saudi companies, including one with nuclear ambitions:”
Heartland Signal: Michigan GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers connected to Saudi companies, including one with nuclear ambitions
- Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers has been linked to several Saudi companies following his departure from Congress in 2015 in which he has personally gained from, including one with questionable nuclear ambitions.
- Among these connections is his involvement with the telecommunications company Telefonica and the nuclear technology company IP3 International, both of which have significant ties to Saudi Arabia.
- For the past seven years, Rogers has been a member of Telefonica’s Technical and Security Advisory Committee, a company in which Saudi Telecom acquired a 10% stake for $2.25 billion, becoming its largest shareholder.
- Rogers also held a position on the board of IP3 International and its subsidiary, Allied Nuclear, according to his financial disclosures filed last December.
- In 2019, IP3 sought approval from the Trump administration to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia without adhering to a “gold standard” agreement, which typically includes safeguards against uranium enrichment. Industry executives expressed concerns about IP3’s reputation and its approach to nuclear fuel cycle enrichment, viewing them as potential red flags.
- “Officials from other companies in the nuclear industry had serious concerns about IP3 and its financial motive in pressing for the transfer of U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, calling it a ‘boondoggle,’ warning that ‘IP3 has a questionable reputation,’ and observing, ‘This whole IP3 effort is still a bit strange and mysterious,’” a congressional staff stated in the House Oversight Second Interim Report in July 2019. “One industry executive called IP3 the ‘Theranos of the nuclear industry.’”
- According to sources familiar with IP3’s operations, an internal email revealed it was alleged that former national security officials, including Rogers, were promised $1 million for each nuclear reactor sold to Saudi Arabia.
- “One senior political official stated that the proposal was ‘not a business plan,’ but rather ‘a scheme for these generals to make some money.’ That official stated: ‘Okay, you know we cannot do this,’” a House Oversight Committee report noted in February 2019.
- Rogers also has a history of supporting Chinese business interests, despite his campaign’s anti-China rhetoric. During his 14 years in Congress, Rogers opposed trade restrictions on China, notably not supporting a 2005 bill to withdraw permanent normal trade relations with the country.
- Rogers has also benefited financially from his ties to China. He worked as a risk analyst for Nokia, earning substantial income while the company expanded business with Chinese tech giant Huawei, despite U.S. sanctions on Huawei due to national security concerns. He remained with Nokia through these deals, contradicting his earlier warnings about Huawei.
See also: Detroit News: Mike Rogers targets China in Senate campaign, but his own connections draw criticism, Business Insider: 9 years through the revolving door: How the GOP’s top Senate recruit in Michigan got rich after leaving Congress, Heartland Signal: Michigan Senate candidate spews anti-China rhetoric despite working to expand Chinese companies and personal wealth, American Journal News: Michigan Republican Mike Rogers has repeatedly dodged questions about his work at AT&T, American Journal News: Mike Rogers’ ties to Chinese telecom giants fuel hypocrisy scandal.
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