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Rep. Lance Gooden questions DOJ’s probe into Adani Group
The Congressman criticized the Department of Justice’s indictment of Adani executives.
Rep. Lance Carter Gooden. / Wikipedia
Congressman Lance Gooden, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, has raised concerns over the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to investigate the Indian conglomerate Adani Group, calling it a case of "selective prosecution" that could harm America's global alliances and economic interests.
In a formal letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Congressman Gooden questioned the rationale behind the DOJ’s recent indictment of Adani Group executives, which alleges a long-running bribery scheme involving $250 million paid to Indian officials for favorable solar power contracts.
The Adani Group has denied the allegations, calling them “baseless” and said “we are a law-abiding organization, fully compliant with all laws." A company's spokesperson said the indictment is based on the charges, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Gooden criticized the DOJ for pursuing foreign cases with minimal relevance to U.S. interests while allegedly ignoring domestic concerns. He compared the Adani case to American company Smartmatic, stating that Smartmatic’s executives had been accused of laundering significant sums of money and paying bribes to foreign governments, with direct implications for the U.S. electoral process.
“The Department of Justice’s selective actions risk damaging critical alliances with key partners like India, one of America’s strongest allies in the Asia-Pacific region,” Gooden stated. “Instead of pursuing cases with tenuous jurisdiction and limited relevance to U.S. interests, the DOJ should focus on punishing bad actors at home rather than chasing rumors abroad.”
In his strong-worded letter, Gooden further argued that the allegations in the Adani case, even if proven, would not justify U.S. intervention. “These ‘bribes’ were allegedly paid to Indian state government officials, in India, by Indian executives of an Indian company, with no concrete involvement of or injury to any American party,” he wrote.
He accused the DOJ of neglecting more pressing domestic issues and warned that targeting foreign companies contributing to the U.S. economy could have long-term consequences. “Targeting entities who invest tens of billions of dollars and create tens of thousands of jobs for Americans only harms us in the long run,” Gooden said, emphasizing the need for an investor-friendly environment.
Gooden also suggested that the investigation’s timing, coinciding with the final phase of the Joe Biden administration, raised concerns of political motivations. “When we forego real threats from violent crime, economic espionage, and CCP influence, and instead pursue those contributing to our economic growth, it discourages valuable new investors hopeful of investing in our country,” he noted.
Calling for the DOJ to shift its focus, Gooden urged the department to prioritize domestic threats and cooperate with the incoming administration for the benefit of the American people. “Instead of expending valuable taxpayer resources on lengthy, politically motivated pursuits in foreign countries, the Department should work with the incoming administration to better serve the American people,” he concluded.
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