Insider spent months digging into the finances of lawmakers and what was found is shocking. Dozens of America’s top lawmakers were found to have violated conflict-of-interest laws and over 150 staffers are potentially guilty of the same, the madness doesn’t stop there though. Numerous members of Congress were found to be investing into industries that they oversee in an official capacity as lawmakers. If we couple the findings of Insider’s investigation with other information about lawmakers that has gone under the table as far as reporting is concerned we get to see a damning portrait of our elected officials.
Overview
The report from Insider found that 52 members of Congress and 182 Senior-level Congressional staffers had violated federal conflicts-of-interest laws. A majority of members of Congress, Democrat and Republican, trade stocks although it should be said that most do report their trades in a timely manner consistent with the law.
Violations of the STOCK Act
Numerous officials were found to have violated the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012(STOCK Act). This legislation was intended to stop members of Congress from engaging in a form of insider trading while still allowing them, and their families, to trade stocks.
Our elected officials have access to information that the general public does not have access to, this information gives them a key advantage on the market that the American people do not get to experience. The legislation allows for members of Congress to trade stocks so long as they disclose information related to these trades.
Insider looked into what specific stocks lawmakers were putting their weight behind. Among the most popular stocks are those of companies in the tech industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the defense industry, and the fossil fuel industry.
It was found that 72 members of Congress owned stock in Apple. This makes Apple stock the number one stock owned by members of Congress. Microsoft was the second most popular stock in Congress. It was found that 64 members of Congress owned stock in the tech company. Falling just behind these companies was Alphabet, Disney, and Amazon. 45 members of Congress own stock in Alphabet and Disney while Amazon stock is owned by 44 members of Congress.
-Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer were regarded as some of the most held pharmaceutical stocks in Congress. It is important to note that these companies were involved in the making of the Covid-19 vaccine and other pandemic products such as the upcoming “Covid Pill” from Pfizer.
-Exxon Mobil stock is owned by 36 members of Congress, some of which oversee the fossil fuel industry. This makes Exxon Mobil the 12th most popular stock in Congress.
-Roughly 75 lawmakers held stocks in major pharmaceutical companies such as Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer. These lawmakers had traded these stocks throughout the pandemic, especially in the early weeks of the pandemic.
-15 lawmakers directly responsible for shaping U.S. foreign policy and general defense policy had been actively investing in major military contracting firms.
-More than a dozen Democrats who tend to vote for so-called “Green” legislation were found to have invested in fossil fuel companies or other companies that have had a negative impact on the environment.
-Several members of Congress who have been outspoken about the media and Big Tech were found to have traded the stock of companies like Facebook, Twitter, Comcast, Disney, and The New York Times.
-Multiple lawmakers and their staffers were found to have invested into Cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. These same lawmakers may soon have the ability to regulate these Cryptocurrencies.
Metrics Used by Insider
Insider used several metrics to calculate the levels of corruption for any particular member of Congress; these levels are described in the report as Solid, Borderline, or Danger.
In order for a lawmaker to get the solid rating they need to practically have no violations of the STOCK Act or any other negative mark from Insider’s other metrics.
The metrics used by Insider are as follows; STOCK Act violations, Staffer STOCK Act violations, legibility of disclosures(the form required in the STOCK Act), financial amendments filed, whether or not the lawmaker has a qualified blind trust, and whether or not the lawmaker even trades stock.
Four Democrats were given the Danger ranking by Insider, meaning that they had numerous violations of ethics or the STOCK Act.
Rep. Susie Lee(D-NV): Representative Susie Lee was found to have over 200 late disclosures that totaled over $260,000. Rep. Lee did not respond to Insider when asked about whether or not fines associated with these violations were paid.
Rep. Tom Malinowski(D-NJ): Representative Tom Malinowski was found to have 145 late disclosures that totaled over $845,000. Rep. Malinowski had filed an amendment on one personal financial disclosures as a result of errors on the document. When asked by Insider Malinowski claimed to have paid all of the fines associated with these violations but did not provide any proof.
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney(D-NY): Representative Sean Patrick Maloney was found to have 8 late disclosures that totaled over $11,000. One senior staffer working for Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney was found to have violated the STOCK Act. Rep. Maloney did not respond to Insider when asked about whether or not fines associated with these violations were paid.
Rep. Tom Suozzi(D-NY): Representative Tom Suozzi was found to have roughly 300 late disclosures that totaled over $3,000,000. Rep. Suozzi did not respond to Insider when asked about whether or not fines associated with these violations were paid.
Seven Republicans were given the Danger ranking by Insider, meaning that they had numerous violations of ethics or the STOCK Act.
Rep. Pat Fallon(R-TX): Representative Pat Fallon was found to have 118 separate violations of the STOCK ACT. These violations totaled, at least, $9,000,000. When asked by Insider Fallon claimed to have paid all of the fines associated with these violations but did not provide any proof.
Rep. Lance Gooden(R-TX): Representative Lance Gooden was found to have violated the STOCK Act 12 times. These violations totaled at least $20,000. Rep. Gooden did not respond to Insider when asked about whether or not fines associated with these violations were paid.
Rep. Diana Harshbarger(R-TN): Representative Diana Harshbarger was found to have violated the STOCK Act on 728 separate occasions, these trades totaled over $700,000. Rep. Harshbarger did not respond to Insider when asked about whether or not fines associated with these violations were paid.
Rep. Kevin Hern(R-OK): Representative Kevin Hern was found to have violated the STOCK Act 25 times and has filed 1 amendment to their personal financial disclosures as a result of errors found in those disclosures. The violations of the STOCK Act totaled over $1,000,000 and Rep. Hern did not respond to Insider when asked about whether or not fines associated with these violations were paid.
Rep. Chris Jacobs(R-NY): Representative Chris Jacobs was found to have violated the STOCK Act 12 times. These violations totaled more than $350,000. Insider also found that Rep. Jacobs had a staffer that had violated the STOCK Act. Rep. Jacobs did not respond to Insider when asked about whether or not fines associated with these violations were paid.
Rep. Dan Meuser(R-PA): Representative Dan Meuser was found to have violated the STOCK Act 36 times. These violations totaled more than $120,000. When asked by Insider Meuser claimed to have paid all of the fines associated with these violations but did not provide any proof.
Rep. Blake Moore(R-UT): Representative Blake Moore was found to have violated the STOCK Act 76 times. These violations totaled roughly $76,000. A senior staffer working for Rep. Moore was found to have violated the STOCK Act. Rep. Moore provided Insider with evidence that he had paid all fines associated with fines from these violations of the STOCK Act.
The report from Insider also detailed how two US Senators, one Democrat and one Republican, violated the STOCK Act to an extreme degree.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville(R-AL): Senator Tommy Tuberville was found to have 132 separate violations of the STOCK Act. When asked by Insider Tuberville claimed to have paid all of the fines associated with these violations but did not provide any proof.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein(D-CA): Senator Dianne Feinstein was found to have violated the STOCK Act one time. It was also found by Insider that staffers working under Feinstein had violated the STOCK Act on 3 separate occasions. When asked by Insider Feinstein claimed to have paid all of the fines associated with these violations but did not provide any proof.
As for the consequences these lawmakers and their staffers face for these egregious ethics violations, there are virtually none. Lawmakers may face fines for violations of the STOCK Act but these are regularly avoided and are seldom applied. The truth is, U.S. lawmakers are practically above the law when it comes to their financial activity and face minor penalties at best for gross violations of ethics, breaking federal law, or inept reporting.
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A much nicer format and much easier to navigate. Thank you.
It is the same garbage.
Why aren’t they prosecuted and sent to prison or at least severely fined? Our government is so corrupt it is breathtaking. It is time for a revolution by “We the People”. Our government is completely out of control.
You want to send all those Republicans to jail?
The corruption of government began with Nixon.
He was truly impeached.
To answer your question yes ! And the corruption in government started long before Nixon. It really started when the Constitution of the United States became the law of the land. I think it was Ben Franklin I may be wrong that said “here is a document guaranteeing and insuring your rights and freedoms as a free republic, if you can hang on to it ! Boy was he right !!!
Why are these slithering swamp slime reptiles and career criminals, parasites and thieves allowed to prey upon us ALL and NEVER be held either responsible or accountable for their offenses,and THEY ARE OFFENSES OF THE STOCK ACT.I am a 77 year old Vietnam , 100% disabled by Agent Orange veteran of the 1968 Tet Offensive with a Degree in Government he had WHEN he served the the 199th Light Infantry Brigade of the U.S. Army at the height of the 1968 Tet Offensive as personal assistant to and field protection for MOH awardee Chaplain (CPT) Charles Angelo Liteky: now 55 years in his possession! The ONLY one of 3 such to be awarded the Medal of Honor AND live to receive it though twice wounded. I spent my last 2 years in Washington, D.C.as staff at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center which was a REVELATION as to the even then, incredible superiority complex of the Congress Cretin Oligarchy of the politically powerful and privileged who see us all as something to be used to fulfill their every whim and ALWAYS to our detriment and at our Expense!. There is plenty of hard evidence of their offenses so:: indict, charge and try these filthy frauds and make them pay total restitution and be removed from office for oath violation, malfeasance in Office and dereliction of duty and obligation to the ONLY constituency they are SWORN to protect and serve,AMERICAN CITIZENS, and the ONLY document they are SWORN to defend and uphold AGAINST all enemies, foreign and domestic and NEVER to become as they have, ITS GREATEST ADVERSARIES AND MOST DANGEROUS THREAT! They ALL belong in PRISON NEVER ELECTIVE OFFICE! PERIOD.You or I would be s charged and punished as was Martha Mitchell, so why have THEY NOT BEEN SO CHARGED.? Where is the Justice Dept, CIA, and FBI and even the SJC or, are they ALL a part of the conspiracy to defraud US ALL!?
Why are there there so many R’s?
Are the R’s all RINOs?
A Republican would never do anything like this.
President Trump didn’t just have to deal with the communists on the left, he also had to deal with all of the rino’s on the right ! For all of the opposition he had to face no one else could have done a better job ! He should be re-instated not re-elected, we can’t afford to wait untill 2024 to re-elect him ! He rightfully belongs in the White House
It is beginning to sound like Trump was not all that popular.
Politics is about getting a lot of people to vote for you.
Why do so many people dislike Trump?
Was it something he said?
Did he disrespect someone………
nvce the Dems have Stock Aact violation of a GOP Rep they own that Rep and make them a RINO- The RINO if not cooperative with the Dem’s will find the Dem’s will destroy him
ELL?
Or a typical Trump slug?
This should come as no surprise. Lie, cheat and steal folks. That’s their game plan. Been doing if for years. Do you really expect parasite politicians to quit doing what they love to do?
I really don’t expect that you would ever vote for anyone who wasn’t a parasite.
I m shoked from Trump into the Candace Owen meeting. Again he insist to be favourable about vaccines. He has repeated the same words told into Bill O’Reilly meeting. This is a great scandal. He cannot to be the GOP Candidate in the 2024 elections.
He has burned all my sympathies towards to him.
What is that you don’t like about the Trump Vaccine.
If you don’t love the the Trump Vaccine then you don’t love Trump.
Shame on you.
And your hole family.
Crooked politician.
I was not aware there was some other kind.
You elect them every election.
When will do what you can by running for election.
You would never be crooked.
Never ever.
Should all of these people be removed from Congress?
Including the. RINOs
Republicans would never display such vile behavior.
The walk of shame.
I am so disappointed to see so many R’s.