Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez confronts fellow representative Marjorie Taylor Greene over her suspicious stock market activities amid recent economic fluctuations.
According to the Daily Mail, Greene purchased between $21,000 and $315,000 worth of stocks just before President Donald Trump announced a pause on his controversial tariff policy, leading to significant market gains.
The revelation has sparked heated debate about potential insider trading in Congress, with Greene's stock purchases coinciding with Trump's social media post declaring "THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!" Her investments included shares in major companies like Apple, Devon Energy Corporation, and Merck & Company pharmaceuticals, all of which saw substantial increases following the tariff pause announcement.
Ocasio-Cortez, speaking at a "Fight Oligarchy" event in Idaho alongside Bernie Sanders, publicly challenged Greene about her financial gains. She emphasized the suffering of ordinary Americans during the market turbulence and questioned the timing of Greene's investments.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined the criticism during an interview with Jen Psaki. He labeled Greene as "Exhibit A" of corruption within Congress and expressed his intention to push for legislation banning stock trading by sitting members.
The controversy stems from the dramatic market shifts following Trump's initial "Liberation Day" announcement and subsequent policy reversal. The stock market experienced its worst wipeout in history, losing $6.6 trillion in US stock value before rebounding after the tariff pause.
Greene's trading activities show a strategic pattern during the market volatility. She disposed of U.S. Treasury bills worth between $50,000 and $100,000 just before the tariff announcement, then made substantial stock purchases as the market bottomed out.
Ocasio-Cortez had previously raised concerns about potential insider trading on social media. She posted:
Any member of Congress who purchased stocks in the last 48 hours should probably disclose that now. I've been hearing some interesting chatter on the floor. Disclosure deadline is May 15th. We're about to learn a few things. It's time to ban insider trading in Congress.
Greene defended her actions through a spokesperson, who dismissed calls for investigation as "utterly absurd." The congresswoman maintains that her investments are managed by a financial advisor through a fiduciary agreement.
The timing of Greene's investments proved highly profitable as the market rebounded dramatically after Trump's policy reversal. The Nasdaq surged more than 12 percent while the S&P 500 gained 10 percent, marking their biggest jumps since October 2008.
Several of Greene's stock picks showed remarkable gains, including Palantir with a 19 percent increase and Advanced Micro Devices rising 21 percent since the tariff pause. These gains came after the market's worst performance since March 2020.
The White House attempted to frame the tariff pause as part of their strategic plan, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defending it as the "strategy all along." However, critics view the timing of Greene's trades as suspicious.
Representatives in Congress face mounting pressure over their stock trading activities. The current rules require members to disclose trades within 45 days, leading to the May 15 deadline for transactions made during the tariff announcement period. Greene's latest disclosures reveal 15 investments between March 16 and March 24, including three large transactions in U.S. Treasury Bills worth between $100,000 and $250,000 each. Her total Treasury investments during this period ranged from $300,000 to $750,000.
