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Intel: Why Congress isn’t satisfied with Trump’s latest Saudi sanctions

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) speaks during a news conference discussing Russian sanctions on Capitol Hill February 15, 2017 in Washington, DC.  
A cloud of intrigue over ties with Moscow has hovered over President Donald Trump since US intelligence alleged the Russian government interfered with the presidential election last year against his opponent Hillary Clinton. On Monday, Trump's national security adviser Michael Flynn was forced to resign over his private conversations with a Russian diplomat, and on Wedn
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) speaks during a news conference discussing Russian sanctions on Capitol Hill, Feb. 15, 2017, in Washington, DC. — GETTY/Zach Gibson

The Donald Trump administration today took the unprecedented step of sanctioning several Saudi officials for their suspected role in murdering journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. But Congress, which set in motion today's action by pushing for a federal probe under the Global Magnitsky Act last month, isn’t satisfied.

“These sanctions are an appropriate response to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, but today’s action does not put this issue to rest,” Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., who is likely to assume control of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in January, said in a statement. “It remains unclear whether the Trump administration has determined who is responsible for this horrific incident. Until responsibility is confirmed, this matter is unresolved and deserves Congress’ scrutiny.”

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