He Said He Would Ban Congressional Stock Trading. Now in Office, He Trades Freely.

In a striking reversal of campaign promises, Pennsylvania Republican lawmaker Rob Bresnahan Jr., who ran on banning congressional stock trading, has quickly become one of the most active traders in the freshman class since taking office in January.

Just last March, while campaigning for a House seat in northeastern Pennsylvania, Bresnahan publicly condemned stock trading by members of Congress, calling the practice “sickening” and a key reason why Americans have lost trust in their political leaders. In a letter to The Citizens’ Voice, he pledged to co-sponsor legislation to ban it outright if elected.

But more than two months into his term, Bresnahan has yet to back any such legislation. Instead, according to Capitol Trades, a site tracking lawmakers’ financial activity, he has reported 264 stock transactions, buying as much as $1.7 million in shares and selling up to $3.03 million—a volume that ranks him among the busiest traders in his congressional class.

Among his trades are stocks in sectors tied to his committee work on transportation and infrastructure, including Caterpillar (CAT:US), CSX (CSX:US), and Boeing (BA:US)—raising further questions about the alignment of personal financial activity with public responsibilities.

Despite the widespread, bipartisan support for restrictions on congressional stock trading—polling suggests three in four voters back a ban—momentum has slowed on Capitol Hill. Bresnahan, once a vocal critic of his predecessor for not co-sponsoring such bills, has himself not signed onto the No Corruption In Government Act or the TRUST in Congress Act, both of which seek to limit or eliminate trading by lawmakers and their families.

Adding to the controversy, Bresnahan has traded tens of thousands of dollars in stock in Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce giant with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party. He also offloaded Tesla shares between February and March.

In response to criticism, a spokesperson for Bresnahan, Hannah Pope, stated that he intends to introduce his own bill on the matter, which is still in development. She also claimed that Bresnahan does not manage his own investments and relies entirely on a financial adviser.

“Like the overwhelming majority of Americans, Rob does not handle his own stock trading, and he never has,” Pope said. “Rob’s focus is on delivering for the people of northeastern Pennsylvania by securing our border, continuing to revitalize our economy, and repairing our crumbling infrastructure.”

Pope further noted that the Alibaba trade was part of a broader investment strategy and that guardrails have since been implemented to prevent future trades in that stock.

Still, watchdog groups remain unconvinced. Donald K. Sherman, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), said Bresnahan’s behavior is at odds with his campaign rhetoric.

“These questions wouldn’t be asked if he divested from buying and selling individual stocks,” Sherman noted. “He made a commitment to lead on this issue. That opportunity still exists.”

Sherman emphasized that even if Bresnahan is following the law, ethics go beyond legality. “Members who claim to hold themselves to a higher standard should try to meet that standard,” he added.

The push to ban congressional trading gained traction in 2020 following revelations that senators from both parties had sold healthcare stocks after confidential COVID-19 briefings. While legislative efforts have since slowed—particularly after the departure of key champion Rep. Abigail Spanberger—advocates say the door is still open.

“There’s an opportunity here,” said Sherman. “Perhaps a freshman willing to lead. Ethics reform never goes out of style with voters.”