Rep. Rob Bresnahan, a Republican from Pennsylvania, recently made headlines for divesting stock holdings in several prominent companies within his state, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.
The divestment, documented in a Periodic Transaction Report (PTR), occurred on April 8, when Bresnahan sold shares in 50 firms, including Boeing, FedEx, Accenture, and Procter & Gamble. These companies are listed among Pennsylvania’s top employers.
Coinciding with this sell-off, President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on China, which led to a downturn in the stock market. Just days before, Bresnahan expressed support for these tariffs, stating in an interview with WVIA that they could be beneficial to the economy.
“I think tariffs could be used very strategically in the right deployment and some targeted initiatives,” he remarked. “And that’s hopefully … about making life affordable again. We want to make sure that we’re protecting from harm across the board.”
His sales also included shares in CSX, a freight railroad company. Notably, both CSX and Boeing fall under the oversight of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where Bresnahan serves.
Bresnahan’s stock trading activities have been under scrutiny before. During his candidacy, he promised to advocate for a ban on stock trading by congressional members. In a March 2024 op-ed, Bresnahan wrote, “Some of the most prolific traders in the country serve in Congress. Whether or not they have done something wrong, the idea that we can buy and sell stocks while voting on legislation that will have a direct impact on these companies is wrong and needs to come to an end immediately. This is the topic of bipartisan legislation right now in the House that I would happily co-sponsor.”
Despite his statements, Bresnahan has continued his trading activities and has yet to co-sponsor any related legislative efforts.
Representing Pennsylvania’s 8th District, which includes parts of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, Bresnahan narrowly defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright in the 2024 elections by a margin of fewer than 6,300 votes.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has targeted Bresnahan’s seat as a potential gain in the upcoming 2026 elections.
No immediate comments were received from Bresnahan’s office regarding the recent stock sell-off.
The post Rep. Bresnahan sold shares in PA companies ahead of market drop appeared first on American Journal News.
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