Congressman John Garamendi, Senator Adam Schiff, Congressman Salud Carbajal, and other members of the California congressional delegation announced on May 28 an investigation into Sable Offshore Corporation’s attempts to resume oil drilling off the California coast. The lawmakers are seeking information regarding Sable’s collaboration with the Trump administration and the invocation of the Defense Production Act in connection with this project.
In a letter addressed to Sable Offshore Corp. CEO Jim C. Flores, the legislators expressed concerns about a series of lawsuits, cease and desist orders, fines, and other legal actions involving Sable from April 2025 to March 2026. They requested that all internal communications between Sable and federal officials related to the restart be preserved. “The administration’s reliance on the Defense Production Act (DPA)—no doubt in consultation and coordination with lawyers representing Sable—is a serious misuse of a federal law meant to be involved for national security reasons, not to enrich an industry already making record profits. To help Congress better understand this effort to circumvent California law and coastal protections, we seek detailed information on the company’s role in this decision, and your communications with the Trump administration in relation to Sable Offshore’s SYU project,” wrote Garamendi and his colleagues.
The letter also referenced financial ties between Sable executives and President Trump through campaign contributions. The lawmakers stated that “Sable has closely worked with the Trump administration to restart the oil pipelines that have been dormant for over a decade all in an effort to ‘benefit industry partners and preferred energy sources’ rather than protect our coastlines.”
A timeline included details such as fines issued by state agencies for unpermitted work harming habitats; class action lawsuits alleging misleading statements by Sable; criminal charges filed by Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch; findings from state regulators regarding safety standard violations; investigations by federal agencies; court injunctions blocking operations until proper approvals are obtained; as well as ongoing litigation concerning use of federal authority over state law.
In addition to Garamendi, Schiff, and Carbajal, signatories included U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and Representatives Julia Brownley, Jared Huffman, Mike Levin, Dave Min, Jimmy Panetta, Nancy Pelosi (Speaker Emerita), and Mike Thompson.
John Garamendi is currently serving in Congress representing California’s 8th district after replacing Ellen Tauscher in 2009, according to his official biography. He previously served in both chambers of California’s legislature from 1974 through 1990. Garamendi was born in Camp Blanding, Florida, in 1945 but now resides in Walnut Grove, according to his official biography, having graduated from University of California Berkeley (1966) before earning another degree at Harvard University (1970).
