Lawmakers make stock trades days before Russian invasion of Ukraine, report shows

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News confirmed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is among at least 18 members of Congress who own stocks in defense contractors that are making weapons for Ukraine.

Critics are concerned lawmakers could be putting personal profits ahead of the country’s best interest.

“We have a system where under current law, members of Congress are permitted to own buy and sell stocks in defense contractors, while they’re making major decisions about military aid,” Delaney Marsco with Campaign Legal Center told Channel 2.

Defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon make the Javelin and Stinger missiles that are heading to Ukraine.

Channel 2 learned that Greene bought between $1,001 and $15,000 of Lockheed Martin stock on February 22, 2022.

The purchase came days before Russia invaded Ukraine, according to the federal government’s Periodic Transaction Report.

According to the same report, Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper, also the former Governor of Colorado, owns between $100,001 and $250,000 in Raytheon stock.

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Marsco said it’s a clear conflict of interest.

“We just can’t really be sure if those decisions are being made because it’s in the best interest of the country”, she said.

Channel 2 Action News reached out to Hickenlooper’s office for comment but has not received a response.

Greene’s office sent us a statement saying:

“Our investment advisor has full discretionary authority over our accounts. We have owned this American company for years and this small investment was part of our overall investment strategy. This was purchased along with other companies like Clorox, Walgreens, and Caterpillar to name a few.”

Sen. Jon Ossoff introduced the “Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act.” It bans members of Congress or their families from trading while in office.

Channel 2 Action News first told you about the proposal in February during reporting about members of Congress who traded stocks in COVID-19 vaccine makers during the pandemic.

The “Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act” has Republican and Democratic support.

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Georgia lawmakers trade stocks to cash in on COVID-19 pandemic We went through months of financial records looking for who made money off stock trades during the pandemic and found several Georgia lawmakers.

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