Deutch joins bipartisan House effort asking Trump to look into missing journalist

Top American lawmakers from both political parties, including Florida Rep. Ted Deutch (D), are asking President Trump to dive into the disappearance of Washington Post Reporter Jamal Khashoggi, who has been reported missing shortly after visiting the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

Turkish officials have concluded that a team of Saudi operatives flew from Saudi Arabia and assassination Khashoggi, a claim Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman categorically denies occurred.

The Turkish officials also added that once Khashoggi was killed, the operatives dismembered his body with a “bone saw” and disposed of the evidence.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan questioned the Saudi’ claim that Khashoggi left the consulate on his, demanding that Saudi Arabia provide any evidence they have to corroborate their claim.

Here is an excerpt of the letter:

Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), led a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging President Trump to raise Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance with the governments of Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Khashoggi, a Virginia resident and distinguished journalist, has been missing since October 2^nd when he was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. According to some reports, Mr. Khashoggi may have been murdered.  

“These conflicting reports and rampant speculation that he was murdered demand immediate answers from both Saudi Arabia and Turkey. We urge you to extend support from all appropriate U.S. federal agencies, such as the FBI, to these governments to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation of Mr. Khashoggi’s case,” the Members wrote.

“We sincerely hope that Mr. Khashoggi emerges unharmed and is free to return safely to the United States, especially given the growing and deeply troubling trend of targeting journalists and oppositionists, not only in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, but around the world,” the Members added. “The U.S. must speak out loudly wherever and whenever this occurs.”