In a recent financial disclosure, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) revealed a series of new stock purchases, adding six prominent companies to her investment portfolio. These transactions, all executed on October 24, have attracted considerable attention, particularly amidst ongoing debates about stock trading activities by members of Congress.
The newly disclosed investments include stakes in Amgen Inc (AMGN), Amazon.com Inc (AMZN), Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK), Blackstone Inc (BX), Cardinal Health Inc (CAH), and Chevron Corporation (CVX). Each of these acquisitions ranged from $1,000 to $15,000. Notably, this marks Greene's second set of disclosures for October and builds upon a pattern of frequent trading activity observed throughout the year.
Greene's investment strategy has consistently featured several of these companies. Amgen, for instance, saw purchases in both September and multiple times in May. Similarly, Berkshire Hathaway, Blackstone, Cardinal Health, and Chevron were also acquired in May, with some experiencing repeat investments within the year. Amazon stands out as a particularly frequent target, with shares bought in October, May, April, and January, often with multiple transactions in a single month.
Her current active trading stands in contrast to a period of several years during which she did not report any stock purchases. This shift began in May 2024, and since then, disclosures have been made almost every month. This increased activity has put her investment decisions under a magnifying glass, drawing scrutiny from both the public and financial observers.
A point of contention has been the timing of some of Greene's trades, particularly in relation to her committee assignments and public statements. For example, her investments in Bitcoin ETFs and Palantir, a company with significant government contracts, have raised questions regarding potential conflicts of interest. Palantir, in particular, drew increased scrutiny due to her position on the Committee on Homeland Security.
In response to these criticisms, Congresswoman Greene has maintained that her stock transactions are managed by an independent portfolio manager. She has publicly defended her investment strategy, emphasizing that her manager operates without inside information and makes decisions based on publicly available data, such as buying during market dips. She humorously pointed out that any criticism of her trading performance is "laughable" given her impressive returns, which positioned her as one of the top-performing congressional traders in 2024.
This ongoing discussion surrounding congressional stock ownership has fueled calls for stricter regulations, including a potential ban on stock and options trading for members of Congress. As lawmakers continue to debate these measures, Greene's transparent, albeit scrutinized, investment practices offer a real-time case study into the complexities and controversies of financial activities by elected officials.