The US Senate has asked Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund governor, to appear before it on July 11 alongside PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman.

It comes after the bombshell deal was struck earlier in June for PGA Tour to merge with its fierce rival LIV, bringing an end to the civil war that was derailing the game.

But Congress opened a probe into the deal following its announcement. 

‘Fans, the players, and concerned citizens have many questions about the planned agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf,’ read a letter to Al-Rumayyan.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund governor pictured alongside former US president Donald Trump, has been asked to appear before congress next month

Jay Monahan, 53, has been invited to appear but recently stepped aside from PGA Tour Commissioner duties due to an unspecified medical issue

‘To assist the Subcommittee’s review, please be prepared to discuss the circumstances and terms of the planned agreement between PGA Tour and the PIF, how any new entities formed through the planned agreement will be structured, the expected impact on PGA Tour and LIV Golf players, and the anticipated role of the PIF in U.S. professional golf.’

The letter sets a deadline of June 28 for a response. 

On June 14, Monahan stepped away from his duties as PGA Tour Commissioner for an unspecified medical issue.

A joint statement from Monahan and the Tour’s policy board read: ‘Jay Monahan informed the PGA TOUR Policy Board that he is recuperating from a medical situation.

‘The Board fully supports Jay and appreciates everyone respecting his privacy. During Jay’s absence, Ron Price, Chief Operating Officer, and Tyler Dennis, Executive Vice President & President, PGA TOUR, will lead the day-to-day operations of the PGA TOUR with the assistance of the great team Jay has built, ensuring seamless continuity. We will provide further updates as appropriate.’

Monahan, 53, spent nearly two months working on the deal with two PGA Tour board members, investment banker Jimmy Dunne and New York attorney Ed Herlihy, without any players’ knowledge.

Almost all of them said they were shocked. Some even said they felt betrayed. 

The deal came nearly a year after Monahan made pointed remarks about LIV Golf’s source of funding, particularly as it related to any Saudi connection to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The merger will see the likes of Rory McIlroy of the PGA Tour and LIV’s Brooks Koepka compete regularly against each other once again 

‘I recognize that people are going to call me a hypocrite,’ Monahan said in a Zoom call after the merger was announced. 

‘Anytime I said anything, I said it with the information that I had at that moment, and I said it based on someone that’s trying to compete for the PGA Tour and our players. 

‘I accept those criticisms. But circumstances do change. I think that in looking at the big picture and looking at it this way, that´s what got us to this point.’

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan attempted to calm the nerves of those in Congress who are investigating the traditional circuit’s deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund while saying this was partially their doing.

He blamed congressional inaction for the decision to join forces with LIV Golf but did not specifically say what help was required from lawmakers.

In a letter first obtained by Politico, Monahan explained that leaders of pro golf’s top circuit had reached out to and met with members of Congress last year – when the war between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour was at its peak.

Days after Monahan sent this letter, Senate Investigations subcommittee chair Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) announced a probe into the proposed deal. 

‘During this intense battle, we met with several Members of Congress and policy experts to discuss the PIF’s attempt to take over the game of golf in the United States, and suggested ways that Congress could support us in these efforts,’ Monahan said in the letter. 

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan says that Congress did not help them when representatives from the Tour met with them last summer over issues with LIV Golf

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has opened an investigation into the LIV-PGA merger

‘While we are grateful for the written declarations of support we received from certain members, we were largely left on our own to fend off the attacks, ostensibly due to the United States’ complex geopolitical alliance with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.’

‘This left the very real prospect of another decade of expensive and distracting litigation and the PGA TOUR’s long-term existence under threat.

‘The difficult negotiations we have undertaken with the Saudis and the agreement in principle we have reached will accomplish important goals that protect the game and the important work of the PGA TOUR in the United States. 

‘Rather than a foreign funded entity taking over an American sport, the end result is that the PIF has agreed to work within the existing golf ecosystem as a minority investor with the PGA TOUR in full control. 

‘The PGA TOUR is, and will remain, an American institution dedicated to its players and generating charity in the communities where we play.’

In addition to this, Monahan made sure to stress that, ‘despite numerous reports, this arrangement is not a merger between the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the PIF’.

Monahan said that this new company will be a subsidiary of the PGA Tour and that the Tour ‘will at all times hold the majority of the board seats and be in control of this new company, regardless of the size of PIF’s investment’.

The letter also said that the PIF would be a minority investor in the entity, ‘while the PGA will be the majority equity investor’.

Monahan insists the Tour is not merging with the PIF, rather they are forming a separate entity and that the PGA Tour will be a majority owner and hold most of the seats on the board

This seems to differ slightly from the initial announcement – which said the PIF ‘will initially be the exclusive investor in the new entity’ alongside the three tours and that the PIF ‘will have the exclusive right to further invest in the new entity, including a right of first refusal’.

Senator Blumenthal asked for relevant documents and information to be shared by June 26 in letters sent to Monahan and LIV commissioner Greg Norman.

He noted in both letters that the announcement last Tuesday marked ‘a sudden and and drastic reversal of position’ from the PGA Tour towards LIV Golf which raised ‘serious questions’.

The PGA Tour operates as a tax-exempt organization, while the PIF and LIV lured multiple PGA veterans with guaranteed contracts over $200million. 

The gray areas in the merger appear to be significant from a legal and operational perspective. Monahan said the PGA will continue to ‘operate as its own entity,’ but Saudi Arabia’s PIF and governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan would hold a seat on the Tour board.

Blumenthal sent letters to Monahan (L) & Greg Norman (R) requesting documents by June 26 

A key motive for the alliance is dissolving existing litigation between the rivals, which likely would end the discovery phase of any trial either side faced. 

However, the US Department of Justice is in the midst of an investigation of the PGA Tour’s alleged monopolistic business practices and discovery could be possible in the US Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations review that was just launched to study the out-of-nowhere pact.

This agreement is a bi-partisan issue that seemingly both Democrats and Republicans agree could pose problems. 

Last summer, Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX) asked United States attorney general Merrick Garland to investigate whether the Saudi-backed league violated law by failing to register as a foreign agent of Saudi Arabia.

A Bob’s Burgers voice actor has been arrested in Los Angeles over taking part in the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol after he was identified by internet sleuths.

Jay Johnston, who voiced the character Jimmy Pesto Sr on the Fox series, was today charged with felony obstruction of officers during civil disorder.

Footage shows the 53-year-old pushing against cops and passing a stolen riot shield over his head to other rioters during the siege on the Capitol in 2021, according to an FBI affidavit.

The charges against Johnston come after the FBI posted photos on Twitter more than two years ago showing him taking part in the unrest and asking the public for information on his identity.

One user had even commented on the post saying: ‘I know it is not him but this guy looks like Jay Johnston from Mr. Show with Bob and David.’

Bob’s Burgers’ Jay Johnston was arrested in connection to the January 6 riots at the Capitol

In March 2021, the FBI posted two images of the actor wearing a green leather jacket and camouflage neck gaiter and asked the public for help identifying him

The FBI says this image shows Johnston holding a stolen police shield during the riots

Another user replied: ‘It is him.’

Johnston is accused of ‘assisting at least three other rioters by pouring water on the rioters’ faces.’ 

According to a criminal complaint, the actor was pictured at the Capitol’s upper west tunnel, where police say most of the violent attacks by rioters took place.

Johnston was one of hundreds of people present at the riots who were identified by online sleuths after authorities began posting pictures of people who took part in the insurrection.

In March 2021, the FBI posted two images of the actor wearing a green leather jacket and camouflage neck gaiter and asked the public for help identifying him.

While his presence at the riots was not officially confirmed, many observers pointed out the resemblance to the actor at the time. 

‘Oh man, that breaks my heart. Jay Johnston is one of my favorite cast members of MrShow,’ on user posted. ‘Ironically, he played an insurrectionist on TV once!’

Cassandra Church, an actress who worked with Johnston, tweeted: ‘I’m no detective, but I do know Jay. He said he was there. And that’s him in the picture.’

Another former co-star, Spencer Crittenden, said in a deleted tweet that Johnston was ‘a craven Trump supporter and was there at the time.’

The FBI said an attorney for Johnston contacted their National Threat Operations Center on March 8, 2021. 

Prosecutors say the above image shows the moment Johnston handled a bottle of water to a rioter

Johnston, who voiced the character Jimmy Pesto Sr on the Fox series, was ‘banned’ from the show more than a year ago

Johnston’s arrest comes more than a year after he was ‘banned’ from the hit animated TV show Bob’s Burgers over his alleged involvement in the riots. 

The Daily Beast reported in December of 2021 that he had been axed after people came forward saying they had knowledge Johnston was actually present at the riots.

The comedian previously worked on the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show with Bob and David and starred in The Sarah Silverman Program.

He has also appeared on Arrested Development and the film, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

The riots at the Capitol on January 6 occurred as Congress was working on counting the Electoral College ballots and certifying Joe Biden’s presidential victory. 

The siege followed a rally near the White House earlier that day in which Trump exhorted supporters to march on the Capitol during a speech in which he repeated false claims that the election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud.

Four people died the day of the riot, and one Capitol police officer died the next day of injuries sustained while defending Congress. Hundreds of police were injured during the multi-hour melee and four officers have since taken their own lives.

More than 1,000 people have been arrested since the assault, and more arrests are expected.