Senator Josh Hawley was the only Republican to join Democrats to advance legislation that would ban members of Congress from stock trading. If the legislation is passed by Congress, it would prohibit federal lawmakers, executive officials, the president, and the vice president from trading stocks while in office. The bill is aimed at countering the growing public concerns about conflicts of interest and restoring public trust in the government.
In an 8-7 vote, Hawley and Senate Democrats voted the legislation out of the Governmental Affairs committee, with all other Republicans on the committee voting against it. It’s not yet clear if the legislation will receive a floor vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Hawley went against his fellow Republicans. “I practice what I preach,” Hawley said, “I don’t have individual stocks, I don’t trade in stocks. I’m not a billionaire, unlike others on this committee. And what I think is, the American people are sending us a clear message.” While the bill has received popular support from voters, Donald Trump is not happy with Josh Hawley “siding with the Democrats.”
Trump Lashes Out at Josh Hawley on Truth Social
The bill, if passed by the legislature, would only apply to later administrations. However, Trump still went off on Josh Hawley, claiming Democrats were using him to target him. He also questioned Hawley being the lone Republican on the panel to vote with Democrats 8-7 to advance the bill out of committee.
Trump wrote on Truth Social:
“Why would one ‘Republican,’ Senator Josh Hawley from the Great State of Missouri, join with all of the Democrats to block a Review, sponsored by Senator Rick Scott, and with the support of almost all other Republicans, of Nancy Pelosi’s Stock Trading over the last 25 years? The information was inappropriately released just minutes before the Vote — Very much like SABOTAGE!”
He then added:
“I don’t think real Republicans want to see their President, who has had unprecedented success, TARGETED, because of the ‘whims’ of a second-tier Senator named Josh Hawley!”
The attack on Hawley comes as a surprise. Before taking office, Trump supported the bill when it was targeted at Nancy Pelosi and her husband. Trump stated that he liked the bill “conceptually” before launching into an attack on the former Democratic Speaker over unfounded claims of insider trading.
Hawley Refuses To Back Down
Josh Hawley appeared on Fox News, where he responded to Donald Trump’s rage-fueled criticism that he is a “second-tier Senator.” Hawley tried to play down the insult, stating that this is not “the worst thing” he has been called. The senator also mentioned that he spoke to Trump on Wednesday evening and clarified the issue.
Josh Hawley assured the president and the vice president that they would not be included in the ban on trading or owning stocks. The bill has been tweaked to not include Trump or Vice President JD Vance. Hawley had to explain the bill to Trump. He stated that the assets of Trump and Vance are “totally exempted” from the bill he voted on. Instead, he turned Trump’s focus to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whom they alleged was the “poster child” of trading with insider information.
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