Republican Representative Rob Bresnahan has come under scrutiny after divesting from several Pennsylvania-based enterprises, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.
Bresnahan’s financial activities, disclosed through a Periodic Transaction Report (PTR), revealed that he offloaded shares in 50 companies on April 8, including major firms such as Boeing, FedEx, Accenture, and Procter & Gamble. These companies are among the top employers in Pennsylvania.
The timing of these transactions coincided with President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs on China, which led to a downturn in the market. Bresnahan had previously expressed support for the tariffs, stating in an interview with WVIA that they could be strategically beneficial. “I think tariffs could be used very strategically in the right deployment and some targeted initiatives,” he said. “And that’s hopefully… about making life affordable again. We want to make sure that we’re protecting from harm across the board.”
Among the shares sold were those of CSX, a freight railroad company. Both CSX and Boeing are under the purview of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where Bresnahan serves as a member.
Previously, Bresnahan had been criticized for his trading activities. During his campaign, he committed to banning stock trading by congressional members. In a March 2024 op-ed, he 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 these statements, Bresnahan continues to trade stocks and has yet to co-sponsor any related legislative efforts.
Representing Pennsylvania’s 8th District, which includes areas of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, Bresnahan narrowly defeated Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright in 2024 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.
A request for comment from Bresnahan’s team remains unanswered.
The post Rep. Bresnahan sold shares in PA companies ahead of market drop appeared first on American Journal News.
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