Two Democratic political organizations are running adverts on the House’s bill to ban congressional stock trading, criticizing a Republican over the vote while commending a Democrat running in a different district for supporting the bill.
The GOP-led Stop Insider Trading Act was largely opposed by Democrats as it allowed lawmakers to retain their existing stock holdings, and GOP leadership attached provisions requiring voters to show a valid ID when voting to the measure. At the time, Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said it was a “sham” and “a slap in the face to the American people.”
Now, House Majority Forward and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee are both running advertisements over the legislation, with HMF running an ad in Michigan against Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) over his vote supporting the measure, which passed the House in July. Huizenga is facing Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann in November.
Meanwhile, a joint ad from the DCCC and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) touts his yes vote on the same piece of legislation.
HMF’s ad depicts a man named Christopher from Kalamazoo, Michigan, accusing Huizenga of voting to keep letting corporations “keep getting rich trading stocks” and attacking his stock portfolio.
“Members of Congress are making millions trading stocks,” the man says. “Since taking office, Bill Huizenga’s stock investments have grown up to 500%. It’s like the fox guarding the hen house, apparently.”
The DCCC ad, on the other hand, calls Gonzalez a “self-made man who voted to ban Congress from trading stocks,” and cites the Stop Insider Trading Act while attacking his opponent, Republican Eric Flores.
The ad supporting Gonzalez’s vote is a change in stature for the DCCC as well, as DCCC spokesman Justin Chermol told Axios in August that “Republicans are the singular reason why a REAL ban on congressional stock trading has not become law this year,” referring to the bill.
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The DCCC and Gonzalez’s campaign have spent more than $450,000 on the advertisement, while House Majority Forward has spent over $800,000, according to AdImpact.
The Washington Examiner has reached out to the DCCC, HMP PAC, and Gonzalez’s office for comment.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
