At least five of the 37 Republican Senators who voted against advancing a resolution limiting the US’ involvement in the war in Yemen have received campaign contributions from pro-Saudi lobbying groups.
Roy Blunt, John Boozman, Richard Burr, Mike Crapo and Tim Scott all received financial contributions from firms representing Saudi interests between 2016 and 2017, according to a recent investigation by the Centre for International Policy (CIP).
All five Republicans voted on Wednesday against advancing the resolution, which if passed, would force the US to limit its support for the Saudi-UAE war in Yemen.
The Trump administration has threatened to veto the resolution if it passes.
Blunt, one of the two Senators from Missouri, received at least $19,200 in campaign contributions from firms representing Saudi Arabia in 2017, the CIP said, with Boozman, Burr, Crapo and Scott, representing Arkansas, North Carolina, Idaho and South Carolina respectively, receiving contributions ranging from $1,000-$2,500 between 2016 and 2017.
Last year, the oil-rich kingdom spent at least $24m to influence US policy and public opinion, according to disclosures to the Department of Justice made available through the Center for Responsive Politics’ Foreign Lobby Watch tool.
According to the CIP it made Saudi Arabia one of the top 10 countries spending on influence and lobbying in the US.
But on Wednesday, the political donations appeared to have little effect when the US Senate opted to move forward with the resolution in a bipartisan 63-37 vote.