By JOSHUA GOODMAN
Associated Press Writer

MIAMI (AP) - The Associated Press has learned that Venezuela’s socialist government tried to recruit then-Congressman Pete Sessions to broker a meeting with the CEO of Exxon Mobil at the same time it was secretly paying a close former House colleague $50 million to keep U.S. sanctions at bay. An official at state-run oil giant PDVSA sent an email to the Texas Republican seeking his help arranging a meeting between Venezuela’s oil minister and Darren Woods, then at the helm of Exxon. The email has been shared with U.S. federal law enforcement, according to two people familiar with the request.

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