Steve Nicandros, a Republican donor and co-founder of Texas-based oil company Frontera Resources, is lobbying against the MEGOBARI Act, a bill that would sanction Georgian authorities, The Hill reported on January 27, citing a letter it said was sent to “at least one Republican House member” without naming them.
“Nicandros wrote that his company is preparing a new $100 million investment program in Georgia, to take place over the next two years. He argues that MEGOBARI, and other efforts to sanction Tbilisi, will harm U.S. businesses operating in Georgia,” the outlet said.
The MEGOBARI Act, which codified sanctions on Georgian officials for violent crackdowns on popular protests, democratic backsliding, and cozying up to Russia, China, and Iran, passed the U.S. House of Representatives in May with overwhelming bipartisan support, but has since been stalled in Senate, with no immediate pathway to passage.
The Hill reported in September that Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) opposed the bill’s passage. It also reported in December that Senate Majority Leader John Thune declined a request from Speaker Mike Johnson in December to attach the bill to the National Defense Authorization Act.
According to The Hill’s latest report, Nicandros asked lawmakers in a January 19 letter “to oppose the MEGOBARI Act (H.R. 36/S.868) and any additional legislation modeled on it.” He also criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), citing a December Hill article that said Johnson had supported the act. In the January 19 letter, Nicandros reportedly said that such support “raises concern” about “perpetuating Biden-era policies.”
“In the piece, Nicandros argues against international observers’ conclusions that parliamentary elections were not free and not fair. He also defends the Georgian Dream’s passage of a Kremlin-inspired “foreign agents” law, which punishes civil society groups that receive foreign funding. He further argues that the Georgian Dream government is an ideological ally of the Trump administration that deserves support,” The Hill said.
Nicandros’ Frontera Resources has operated in Georgia since 1997 and was previously involved in a legal dispute with the Georgian Dream over oil and gas exploration rights. In 2020, an international arbitration tribunal ruled on the case, with the Georgian government saying it found a material breach of contract by Frontera, but opted not to terminate the agreement to preserve Georgia’s investment climate and strategic ties with the United States.
The Hill reported that Fronetera claimed more than USD 500 million in investments in Georgia and spent about USD 1 million on lobbying in July 2020, after which the company was allowed to resume operations.
According to Reuters, Nicandros has also lobbied against a bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Joe Wilson that would prohibit the U.S. recognition of the Georgian Dream government.
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