MTG’s stock purchase might pose potential conflict of interest: disclosure
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s latest stock shopping spree shows a potential conflict of interest with a committee assignment, according to her latest congressional financial disclosure.
The Georgia Republican made six purchases on June 24 totaling between $6,006 and $90,000, as well as a purchase on June 21 of U.S. Treasury bills, valued between $100,001 and $250,000, according to her June 27 financial disclosure.
Greene’s purchase of stock in cybersecurity technology company, CrowdStrike Holdings, could pose a potential conflict of interest as Greene serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Government Innovation.
The Department of Defense granted CrowdStrike authorization to the highest level of controlled unclassified information in May 2023. CrowdStrike works with the Department of Defense, Defense Industrial Base companies and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, according to a May 31, 2023 company press release.
Greene also purchased stock in activewear company lululemon, big-box warehouse chain Costco, food and drink conglomerate Nestle, electric utility company NextEra Energy and semiconductor manufacturer ASML, which the United States restricted in its chipmaking involving China.
In May, Greene went on another stock shopping spree that posed a potential conflict of interest. She purchased stock valued up to $15,000 in Qualcomm, a federal defense contractor, while serving on the Homeland Security Committee and the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
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She also reported an investment valued up to $15,000 in Microsoft while on the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Government Innovation.
The other transactions reported on May 1 include Greene's purchases up to $15,000 each in Home Depot, Goldman Sachs, Hershey, Berkshire Hathaway and Tractor Supply Company stock. She purchased up to $500,000 worth of U.S. Treasury bills, Raw Story reported.
This week four senators announced a new push to pass legislation banning stock trading for members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children, Raw Story reported.
The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will consider the agreement this month, which would immediately ban members of Congress from buying stocks and would prohibit selling stocks 90 days after enactment.
Members’ spouses and dependent children would be prohibited from trading stocks starting in March 2027, and that year, members of Congress, the president and vice president would also be required to divest from covered investments.
Raw Story has found at least 51 members of the 118th Congress who have violated the financial disclosure law, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, not including Greene.
Thus far, numerous efforts to ban congressional stock trading have been unsuccessful.
Greene's congressional spokesperson, Nick Dyer, acknowledged Raw Story's questions about her financial disclosure but did not answer them.